Training
by spopococ
Summary: Cloud gets roped into training sessions with the General. All He seems to be interested in is pushing Cloud's buttons in all the wrong ways. Could Cloud be wrong though? YAOI warning. CloudxSephiroth. PART ONE OF TWO - COMPLETE, but undergoing REWRITE
1. Kiss

**February 22****nd ****2010 - Attention:** This story is currently going through a slight fix-up. Basically, fiddling around with some grammar and spelling mistakes, etc. If a chapter has the word "Edited" at the top of the page, right before the author's notes, then it _has_ been messed around with. If not, then it's soon to be. Lol.

**Edited.**

First. Fanfic. EVER. XD

Rated M, just for you people out there to know.

**Disclaimers:** **I do not own final fantasy 7** at all, which makes me a sad little bunny. **Yaoi,** yes, you don't like it, I don't care, don't read it. Easy done. I'm new at this, so it might not be so good. R&R!!!

_Training - Chapter 1_

_Cloud meets his idol, General Sephiroth, SOLDIER first Class. At first, he's impressed; albeit a little overwhelmed. But when Sephiroth recommends private tutorial for the blonde, Cloud soon comes to find himself caught in a game of will and wits with the General, and the cadet's life would never quite be the same again._

Cloud looked up into the looming clouds above, as the low rumble of the thunder rang clear, just as the heavens opened. He made a feeble attempt to shield his head with the exercise book he was carrying, and half-heartedly strolled across the courtyard. It was times like these that he wished Zack didn't have to go on missions. He gingerly pushed open the door, still anticipating his roommate to leap out and hold him in a headlock. All was still. Cloud dragged himself to their sofa and fell onto it. Today's lessons had been just awful. Without Zack around to keep an eye out for him, the SOLDIER instructors of Cloud's class were relentless towards him. His body ached from the constant hits from his class mates, as they were hell-bent on making Cloud miserable. He'd always had that same slender, almost petite frame, and this had almost immediately brought taunts from his so called peers. He stretched out across the couch in a cat-like manner. Zack had written and told him of his mission with the general, and said that they would be back by early afternoon. The sun was now sinking, and the little light it mustered through the oncoming storm was all but smothered. Cloud lay still for some time before he heard the sound of a vehicle outside. With hopes of some exciting tales from his best friend, he sat bolt upright and stared at the door. Zack's loud and rambunctious voice could be heard conversing outside, followed by laughter, as he opened up the door and beamed at Cloud.

"Oh!! You _are_ here!" Zack grinned, motioning a quick wave, before stepping inside.

"Yeah, I was kinda hoping you could relieve me from my boredom," Cloud grinned. There was a slight pause, in which a sigh was heard from beyond the doorway.

"That's bound to keep him talking all night…" A voice said in an almost bitter tone. Cloud's grin faltered, as the General's impressive frame moved through the doorway. His face was expressionless, but his eyes were clearly showing fatigue. Zack flicked from Sephiroth to Cloud, before realizing the awkward situation.

"Oh, uh… Cloud, Sephiroth's gonna be here just till the rain stops," Zack smiled sheepishly, and Cloud managed to pull a convincingly nonchalant shrug. Cloud had barely come into close proximities with the General, and as far as he was concerned, that was fine by him. He was sure that any encounter was bound to result in Cloud making an outright fool of himself. As Sephiroth stood filling the door frame, the blonde couldn't help but feel a little intimidated by his mere presence. Sephiroth showed no falter in emotion, as Zack suddenly snapped to life.

"Oh!! What am I doing?! Come on in Seph!" he beamed, swinging the door open even further, as the General strode in. As Zack closed the door behind him, Cloud stood up before Sephiroth.

"Uh… Would you like something to eat or drink, sir?" Cloud asked cautiously. Sephiroth towered over Cloud, and the small blonde swallowed as hard as his dry throat would allow. This night was not looking to end up in his favour at all. The General gave Cloud a piercing gaze, seeming to be deep in thought at the proposal.

"Water, please. That would be good, thank you," he replied, gingerly taking a seat upon the couch across from Cloud. Cloud gave a sharp nod, excusing himself to the kitchen. Zack could be heard cheerfully making discussion with the general. His flow of speech was very occasionally halted, leaving just enough time for a quiet response from Sephiroth. Cloud felt nauseated. The General, the one person whom he had idolized for quite a few years, the one responsible for him wanting to be at the barracks for training to begin with… was sitting on his couch. He had gone through many a situation in his mind where he and the General had met. He had pictured it to be sometime down the road, when Cloud had become a prodigy, and had the same kind of respect from Sephiroth that Zack had. Not one of those thoughts featured Cloud in a pair of sweatpants and a tank top, staring gawk-eyed whilst the General was left standing in the rain. He mentally slapped himself at his lack of courtesy in inviting the General in, before carrying out the glass of water for Sephiroth in a slightly trembling hand. Zack turned from his spot on the sofa and grinned at him.

"Oi! Where's mine?!" he laughed. Cloud faltered, before reaching to hand Sephiroth the frosted glass.

"We have guests, _Zachary…_surely they should be cared for first?" Cloud retorted in a light-hearted manner. He turned back to Sephiroth, who had seemed to relax since he had arrived, and thought he caught the trace of a smile creeping up the corners of his mouth.

"Thank you cadet," Sephiroth offered politely, taking the glass from Cloud's hand. Cloud simply nodded, before returning towards the kitchen. As he passed the sofa, Cloud had minimal time to react as he vaguely saw Zack stick out his foot, and sent Cloud flying through the air, landing in a sprawled heap across the living room floor. Zack burst into howls of laughter as Cloud struggled to regain his composure. He turned, with a venomous fury at Zack, before noticing the General stifling a chuckle of his own. Cloud was abruptly beginning to dislike his Commanding Officer. He clutched at his last shred of dignity and eased the anger from his face, forcing a small laugh. Zack continued giggling, until clapping Cloud across the back and snorting "That'll teach ya!" The General continued to laze across the sofa and smirk at Cloud, until the blonde couldn't handle it any further and disappeared to the kitchen. Sephiroth had _laughed_ at him. Not only did Cloud realize that his fear of ruining all hope of respect from the General had indeed come true, but Sephiroth thought of him as a _laughing_ stock. Cloud returned to the living room a short time later, where he now saw Sephiroth reclined on one sofa, whilst Zack snored on the other. Cloud placed the glass on the table and reached to wake Zack.

"He's worked hard the past few days, cadet," Sephiroth interjected, "I'd suggest sleep would be best for him."

Cloud couldn't help but agree, but the thought of spending time alone with the General was killing him.

"Oh… yeah," he replied dumbly, inwardly cursing himself, before cautiously seating himself on the armchair between the two sofas. Cloud lifted the footrest up and tried to make this experience as comfortable as humanly possible.

"So, Cloud was it?" Sephiroth queried, startling the blonde a little.

"Uh, yes sir…" Cloud replied.

"Zack mentioned your training to me," Sephiroth smirked a little, catching eyes with the blonde. Cloud froze. There was an almost mocking glint in Sephiroth's eyes, and it was infuriating.

"He did?" Cloud replied between clenched teeth.

"Yes. He mentioned the fact that you had an incident last week."

Cloud inwardly groaned. How many people had Zack told about that? And now it was the _General _ready to mock him at will.

"Well, yes. There was a _small_ incident," Cloud replied awkwardly. Small incident indeed, he thought. It had been the worst experience he'd had with the Shinra so far. It was a routine mako showering, introduced to try and create better SOLDIER's quicker. During a particular training session the previous week, the recruits had been showered beforehand. It had been Cloud's first exposure to mako, and he was the only one in his class to seem adversely affected by it. As Zack himself was rehearsing a maneuver, Cloud had grown increasingly dizzy, and in turn had fallen square on one of his classmates in a very provocative position. This had caused wild howls of laughter from his classmates and even tears from Zack, as he gasped for breath, hooting and howling.

Sephiroth continued to smirk a little.

"I just wasn't used to mako, that's all…" Cloud replied slowly, as Sephiroth's smirk shrunk a little.

"Zack has also told me other things about your training, Cloud," Sephiroth's frown deepened. Cloud feared his impending death.

"He has?" Cloud asked a little shakily. He had the occasional slip up in class, but no more than everyone else; so he was praying, hoping, _wishing_ that whatever Zack had said wasn't about to get him punishment.

"Yes. He says that you have far surpassed your class members in combat training and even in swordsmanship?" Sephiroth had an odd look on his face, as if expecting Cloud to agree.

"Oh… well, I guess that I'm doing ok. I mean…" Cloud stammered, well aware of what he must appear like to the General.

"I'd like to have a sparring match with you tomorrow, Cloud. At noon," Sephiroth stated, "And that means noon _sharp_, Cadet. Understood?"

Cloud nodded dumbly, as the General raised himself up from the sofa and placed his glass upon the coffee table. He looked even wearier than before, as he stood and headed for the doorway.

"Tell Zack I will speak to him tomorrow. Ask him to please not keep me waiting again, as I'm sure his beauty sleep can wait," Sephiroth smirked, as Zack let out a well timed thunderous snore. Cloud offered a small smile of his own, as he watched a small trail of drool trickle down Zack's face. He then turned back to Sephiroth, who was now at the door.

"Yes sir, I'll let him know," Cloud smiled forcefully. Sephiroth gave a slow nod, before turning and exiting through the door. Cloud exhaled deeply. This was going to be a killer of a week.

--

Cloud had arrived the next day for what would end up being the most grueling session of training he had ever had. Sephiroth had pulled him from his theory class, as his classmates gaped at him in confusion and awe. Sephiroth had appeared to have forgotten all informalities of the night before, and had become his usual façade of cruel and cold. He had been relentless with Cloud, focusing on every flaw he could find from the way he held a blade to the way he placed his feet in certain stances. He had let snide comments out whilst doing it. One in particular had put Cloud over the edge, and it had occurred when he had attempted to block an attack from Sephiroth and lost his footing. Sephiroth had smirked at Cloud with his empty eyes and snapped "Come on, Cloud. Or is the mako too much for you? Or is it that you just miss your boyfriend?"

Cloud had retaliated by swinging his sword violently and narrowly missing the side of Sephiroth's cheek. A small start of surprise flashed through the General's eyes, as Cloud glared to the best of his abilities without showing the fear of punishment for that narrow miss. He continued staring directly into the General's eyes, waiting for some kind of sign. Sephiroth soon returned to his usual emotionless composure soon after however, before pushing Cloud's sword away from the side of his head and smirking a little dangerously.

"You fight better when you're angered, Cloud," he remarked coldly, before dismissing the cadet. Cloud had left his lesson with a newborn hatred of his leader.

"He's not that bad, Cloud. He's probably just trying to show you that he's the boss!" Zack laughed a little later on, as the blonde recounted his day in a huff.

"I already know he's boss!" Cloud snapped, "I just wish he didn't feel the need to _enforce_ it so much!"

Zack scoffed a little, before Cloud pointedly glared.

"Look, Cloud… Sephiroth… he's awesome, okay?" Zack reassured, patting Cloud's back, "Give it time; you'll warm up to him."

Cloud highly doubted that, as he dragged himself to his bedroom.

--

The lessons with Sephiroth continued for some time, and the more Cloud sparred with him, the more Cloud learnt. He hated admitting that to even himself, as he knew that even though the General was a cold hearted bastard, he _was_ actually teaching him skills that he couldn't learn in normal class. Today was no different. Cloud had showed up at noon, right on time, and Sephiroth had stood by the weapons case.

"A buster sword again, Cloud?" he remarked, a smirk across his face, as Cloud picked up his favourite weapon.

"I dunno. It's stylish, and it feels good," Cloud replied huffily, before daring to add "Besides, It nearly sliced _your_head off, if I recall correctly sir…"

Cloud had almost instantly regretted his words, thinking that maybe if he clutched at the air, he could still put them back. Sephiroth's eyes darkened a little, before the most unimaginable thing happened. Sephiroth smiled at him. Then… he let out a small chuckle. Cloud watched in stunned silence, as, for a brief moment, Sephiroth's eyes lit up, and all the tension and authority eased from his face.

"This is true, Cloud," Sephiroth continued to smile for a brief moment, before returning to his usual composed self. Cloud fought through his lesson that day with a spring in his step. If there was even the slightest crack in Sephiroth's shell, Cloud was going to work on it until these lessons were a little easier to live with.

As Sephiroth wrapped up the lesson, Cloud returned home to find Zack in his underpants eating what appeared to be nachos.  
"Hey man! How was it today? How'd he pick on ya?" Zack grinned mischievously, dropping melted cheese on his thigh, much to the disgust of his room mate. Cloud smiled, and Zack stopped grinning.  
"You're SMILING?" Zack gaped, "You have to tell me everything!!"  
When Cloud had finished updating Zack, the Lieutenant simply grinned.

"I told you he wasn't bad, Cloud. It seems he's even got a bit of respect for you considering, you know…" Zack smirked, "You're still alive and all."

Cloud punched Zack playfully in the arm, before sinking into his chair. Cloud reached over for the nachos, before having a well controlled Buster sword held against his hand, and a dangerous looking Zack smirking at him.

"You sure you want to do that Cloud?" Zack tested. Cloud smirked.

"I think I do, because for one thing, slicing off my hand would ruin your nachos," Cloud grinned cheekily. Zack considered this thought, and slowly pulled his sword away.

"You're lucky we're out of cheese," Zack snorted, lazing back onto the sofa. The night had remained as quiet as Cloud had hoped. This was short lived though, as there was a knock at the door. Zack leapt up.

"Dude, you have to answer that!" he frowned, gesturing at his underwear, before taking off down the hall, leaving a trail of corn chips behind him. Cloud sighed, rising and opening the door to find the General before him. The blonde nearly inhaled his tonsils.

"Oh, uh… Hello sir. Did you want Zack? He'll just be a min-" Cloud began.

"Actually Cloud, I wanted to see you," Sephiroth interjected, staring at Cloud with a frown plastered on his face.

Cloud faltered, before replying dumbly, "Eh? I mean, well… excuse me, sir?"

"May I…?" Sephiroth gestured, and Cloud realised that he once again had left the General on the front door step.

"Oh! Yeah, sure," Cloud smiled a little shakily, stepping aside. He was hoping that if he could just keep the General's mood up, whatever disaster was heading his way could be eased.

"I won't be here long, Cloud. I just wanted to talk to you about your training…" Sephiroth continued to frown.

"Oh, uh, sure. What's up Seph?" Cloud asked, immediately tensing at his slip up. He had just called the General _Seph,_ something that Zack was even lucky to get away with at times. Sephiroth momentarily tensed, before easing himself into a slight scowl. It seemed as if the blonde would live; for now.

"I believe training is going well, for your experience anyway…" Sephiroth said softly, seeming to suppress his anger. Cloud could swear he saw Sephiroth's teeth clench.

"Uh, well thank you sir," Cloud chose his words cautiously, "I'll see you tomorrow then? I'll try not to hurt you."

Cloud was testing the waters with his last attempt at humor. Maybe if he eased the mood a little, the General would ignore the Seph comment. It was either that, or Cloud was about to receive a pointy reckoning from the glinting Masamune. Much to Cloud's relief, Sephiroth once again, gave a fleeting smile.

"Oh thank you Cloud, I forgot how damaging cadets are," Sephiroth replied dryly. Cloud grinned, realizing that Sephiroth indeed could be almost human. Sephiroth's reaction had been very similar to something Zack would have done, and Cloud wondered if this was why the two got along so well. Zack walked into the lounge just as Sephiroth was smirking at Cloud's statement, and he stopped dead.

"Hey Sephiroony!!" Zack grinned, walking over and clapping the General on his back. Sephiroth turned to Zack and scowled.

"…Sephiroony? I will kill you in your sleep, Zack…"

"Pfft, yeah, I'm sure. Anyway, what brings you here my friend?" Zack grinned.

"I'm here regarding Cloud's performance, actually. I was just informing him that he is improving," Sephiroth nodded.

"Oh?" Zack grinned over at Cloud, who blushed in return.

"Yes. But," Sephiroth began, hesitating as Zack's grin faltered, "I'm not sure if he's as good as you said he was, Zachary. He seems to lack a great amount of potential, in comparison to what you initially insisted he had."

Zack went a little pale, as he saw the anger building on Cloud's face.

"Uh, he's really good Seph. I mean…" Zack scrambled for words.

"I'll see you tomorrow General. Enjoy your night," Cloud said icily, retreating to his quarters, leaving Zack speechless with Sephiroth. Sephiroth no longer held his icy composure, but Cloud wasn't too eager to determine what kind of composure he had. He's had just about enough of being belittled for the night.

--

Cloud could feel Zack watching him, as he sat at the table eating his cereal.

"What is it Zack?" Cloud snapped, looking up suddenly at his roommate across from him. Zack startled a little, before awkwardly scratching his head.

"Nothing…" he replied slowly, "But hey Cloud?"

"What?" Cloud snarled, stabbing his spoon into a stray froot loop.

"Are you still peeved off… about last night?" Zack asked tentatively.

"No!" Cloud cried as he stood up suddenly, "Why would I be peeved at high and mighty and his stupid beliefs?!"

Zack shrugged, suddenly taking much interest in his cocoa puffs. Cloud picked up his backpack and left their quarters in a huff, not seeing a small smile creeping over Zack's lips.

--

When he reached training, Sephiroth was once again standing casually by the weapons hold.

"You're late Cloud," He frowned. Cloud looked up, restraining his immediate retort.

"I was tired," Cloud replied shortly. Sephiroth smirked a little, before handing over the Buster sword.

"I figured you'd want your blade to match your head. Kind of light and spiky…" Sephiroth smirked. The comment had apparently registered through Cloud's body before reaching his mind. Cloud took an immediate swing at Sephiroth, who, although he was prepared, lost a lock of long silver hair in the process. Sephiroth paused to look down at the ground where it had fallen, and his expression hardened.

"Really Cloud? Are we fighting hard today?" he smirked once more, taking his position, as Cloud moved back into his.

"Why would it matter, _sir_, if I have little to no potential anyway," Cloud bit back, swinging his sword and clashing with Masamune, "So you would have nothing to fear from it…"

Sephiroth's eyes flashed with an unreadable emotion before he leapt forward and swung, only to be met with equal force from the Buster Sword.

"Then of course, there's the whole fact that I've been coming to these lessons for nothing. I put in a heck of a lot of effort for no result," Cloud glared, "Which can make a man irritated, if not reckless…"

Once again, the unreadable emotion blared through Sephiroth's eyes, but this time it lingered.

"Was it really that painful to hear, Cloud?" Sephiroth replied, ducking and turning to avoid a blow, "Did it really hurt?"

Cloud swung again, clipping the side of Sephiroth's boot. The anger was flooding from him so much that the only outlet he had was his blade.

"Do you think you're capable of hurting me emotionally, General?" Cloud smirked coldly, "You give yourself too much credit."

Sephiroth faltered momentarily, giving Cloud enough time to disarm Sephiroth. He held the buster sword against Sephiroth's throat, as Sephiroth let a smirk creep across his face.

"I think I'm right, Cloud," Sephiroth finally replied, gracefully flipping over and stooping to obtain the Masamune with ease, before almost pirouetting and clashing metal once again with the cadet.

"I think you're full of it. You think you're wonderful, but I can tell you, I have the potential to kick even your ass…" Cloud glared. Sephiroth nodded.

"You fight better when you're angry Cloud. But even when you're not, you _do _have potential…" Sephiroth smirked, "I was just able to prove that."

Cloud suddenly saw the light and realised that the General had done this on purpose. He'd made Cloud angry like a little plaything to see what he would do. Cloud was feeling more and more like a guinea pig as he thought it over. Rage consumed him, and he disarmed Sephiroth once more. Sephiroth's eyes opened in surprise as Cloud then grabbed him by the scruff of his jacket and threw the General against the wall, Buster sword at throat. Cloud glared into the General's eyes, close enough to him that he need only whisper, "What do you think I am, Sephiroth? Some kind of puppet?"

Sephiroth stayed in silence as Cloud pressed his sword harder against the general's skin. Sephiroth's eyes were the most active that the blonde had ever seen them. They swirled with emotion, and glowed brighter than Cloud had ever imagined they could. Cloud couldn't tell what emotion was most prominent, and whether or not Sephiroth looked more dangerous or shocked. Sephiroth gained a little of his composure, swiftly wrenching the blonde's arm around. Cloud hissed and dropped his sword as Sephiroth almost face-planted the cadet into the wall. He leant in so that his lips were just beside Cloud's ear and said in a dangerously low voice "Well Cloud, I guess you kind of are…"

"How, Sephiroth? Why? What exactly is it that gives you that impression?" Cloud hissed.

"Because, Cloud… I may have said you have no potential," Sephiroth paused, and Cloud could see him smirking from the corner of his eye, "But we both know that if you didn't want me to disarm you, you would still be holding your sword…"

Cloud froze, and considered this, Sephiroth's breath still brushing up against his skin. Why had he let Sephiroth disarm him? He was perfectly capable, even now, to turn the tables. He wasn't quite sure, but something was compelling him to let the weapons side go in favour of the closer combat. He immediately dismissed his first thought, furiously telling himself that it wasn't possible to have… to even see the General like… Cloud saw his moment, when Sephiroth briefly glanced toward the roof of the training hall, where something had apparently fallen. Cloud sharply elbowed Sephiroth's stomach and spun him to be pressed against the wall. Sephiroth's face was cold, but his eyes were still alive with emotion. There appeared to be a million thoughts rushing through Sephiroth's head at the one moment, as it was with the blonde's.

"What did that achieve, Cloud? Honestly?" Sephiroth asked in a voice so low that Cloud struggled to hear it, "Ask yourself; because I think you're just an angry young man out to get attention. You just want to look like the hero here…"

"You could have just as easily disabled me by now. You could have wrapped up training, and yet, we're still here. You seem to have the same goal here. Maybe you're out to get attention off me," Cloud glared.

Sephiroth let out a small laugh, smirking deviously, as the swirling pool of green that was his eyes varied swiftly in brightness.

"Attention off you, Cloud? And you thought_ I_ was full of it," Sephiroth smirked, before bracing himself, as Cloud took a swing at him with his fist. Sephiroth seemed pleased with himself as the blonde paused, not quite willing to connect with Sephiroth's face. Cloud could see the satisfaction creeping across Sephiroth's face

"You just can't handle it, Cloud. You try so hard to catch me off guard, surprise me, but it doesn't work…" Sephiroth continued to smirk, fighting with his conscious thoughts that Cloud had been right. The situation had arisen plenty of times to wrap up this lesson, to let it go, but as soon as he'd been thrown against the wall, with Cloud's eyes piercing his own, he had no intention to. The blonde cadet's eyes had glowed eerily, the bright sapphire blue mesmerizing Sephiroth. The glow hadn't just been of mako, but the General hadn't been able to place it. Cloud was breathing shallowly, seeming to fight a conflict within himself at this moment, and Sephiroth used it to his advantage.

"Or maybe something else has surprised you, Cloud? You seem to be having thoughts race through your head faster than you can process them. I guess this means that you're either caught off guard with your emotion," Sephiroth smirked, "Or you're a little slow in general…"

"It's none of your business what goes through my head, Sephiroth…" Cloud replied, venom in his eyes, "But at least I can hold claim that I _have_ emotions."

"Cloud… I can have more emotion in one moment then you do in your lifetime. Surprise is just something that escapes me far too often," Sephiroth sneered, before catching his breath. The way that Cloud was looking at him now had changed drastically from one moment to the next. It was as if one moment there was such an intense anger that the general was sure cloud wanted to kill him, and the next, as if Cloud wanted to…

Sephiroth never finished that thought, as Cloud leant in and pressed his lips against his own. Sephiroth could feel Cloud's warm breath caressing him, and felt the softness of his lips as they pressed a little harder. Sephiroth felt himself sway a little, caught up in a moment of shock and… he wasn't sure what he was meant to be feeling. He was being _kissed_ by his young male cadet. Cloud then pulled away suddenly, as Sephiroth gazed through half-lidded eyes at the flustered cadet. Bright blue was meeting his green with nothing more than a look of lust and shock. There was a moment where both looked stunned at each other, and it dawned on Sephiroth that something had to be done.

--

Cloud froze, realizing that he had indeed, just pressed lips with the General. He couldn't call it that though, as he felt the response through Sephiroth's body. He'd almost given way, and Cloud knew it, but now the General was looking back at him with mirrored conflict of emotion. There was an awfully long, awkward pause, where the two simply stared. Cloud was not sure what had compelled him to kiss his commanding officer, all he knew was that as he stood there in such close proximities with the general, his body had roared into action. Sephiroth had seemed so… _perfect._ The way he had stood there, never once looking away from Cloud, as he had replied with a small smile edging at his perfect lips, Cloud had lost all connection with his mind and ran with his body. Now, as Sephiroth stood, a small hint of pink in his pale cheeks, breathing slightly faster and staring at Cloud with a look he'd never imagined possible, Cloud wasn't sure how this would play out. It didn't take long for Cloud to find out, however, as Sephiroth's bright green eyes flashed brightly. He reached out and pulled Cloud toward him, wrapping his fingers through the blond spikes, before leaning in and placing his lips upon Cloud's. It was a brief occurrence, before he took to turning Cloud and slamming him against the wall. Cloud immediately registered what was happening this time, and reached to wrap his arms around Sephiroth, placing his hands through the long silver locks. The last kiss had been tentative, but this one was nothing short of needy. Sephiroth had almost immediately slipped his tongue between Cloud's lips, begging for entrance, which Cloud allowed and matched with lustful hunger. Sephiroth was dominating even with his kissing, kneading Cloud's tongue with his own before biting on the blonde's lower lip. This issued a small moan from Cloud's mouth, which only seemed to fuel Sephiroth's desires. Cloud felt as if he was floating down the Lifestream, with Sephiroth stealing his breath and his mind simultaneously. Sephiroth passionately kissed Cloud's lips again, before working his way to kiss and then gently nibble on Cloud's neck, ushering a gasp from the blonde's mouth.

At the noise, Sephiroth returned his attentions to swollen lips, running his tongue along them, before pressing his whole body against the small blonde. This issued yet another gasp from Cloud as he became aware that Sephiroth was feeling just as aroused as he was. The blonde took this as all the proof he needed, before turning the General and breaking their kiss, holding him against the brick wall once more in an attempt at dominance. Sephiroth had gazed lustfully at Cloud, as the blonde struggled with the desire filled haze filing his mind. Sephiroth seemed vulnerable, an almost desperate look on his face for more contact, even as Cloud held himself against the General, pinning Sephiroth to the wall. A loud bang echoed through the hall, and Cloud swiftly broke all contact with the General, stepping back moments before the two o'clock class began filing through the door. The pair both immediately picked up their weapons, just before the first cadet noticed the already composed General and the still flustered Cloud standing by the wall of the training hall.

"General Sephiroth, sir!" The cadet jumped and saluted, as the others followed suit.

"At ease…" Sephiroth said huskily, after offering a small salute. He turned to Cloud, a hint of a smile across his lips, lowering his voice so that he could only be heard by the blonde and said "You do a lot of things quite well when you're angry, Cloud…"

Cloud also lowered his voice and simply said, "And you seem quite capable of emotion, sir…"

With that, the General smiled knowingly, before barking an order at a mousey brunette and walking proud from the training hall. A cadet he got along well with approached him, all smiles.

"Cloud, you actually got to train with the General?!" He beamed, and Cloud simply nodded, a little lost for words. The cadet gave an eager grin, before leaning to whisper scandalously in the blonde's ears.

"So what's he like in person? What kind of things do you guys talk about?! Does he even talk?!"

"He's very good with his tongue, actually…" Cloud smiled to himself, ignoring the cadet's confused reaction to the cryptic message, as he walked in a daze from the best training lesson he'd ever had.

~**End Chap 1.**


	2. Promotion

This is indeed, the second chapter of 'Training', considering it seemed to be what you wanted. He he. I got extremely carried away here, not able to actually make everything I wanted to fit into the one chapter. –urk- Apologies. But hopefully you'll enjoy the story anyway. I like this chapter anyway, builds character. The next chapter will of course be finished sooner, considering it's half done. hehehe

Disclaimers: **I do not own final fantasy 7** STILL, which I will work on someday. I will own it, I just have to. cries There is no yaoi in this chapter.If there was to be, it would be extremely long. Next chapter though, I promise. hehehe

**Big big big thanks to Toons, for all the ideas and support. D If only they were real**. **Behehehehehe.**

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The couch moved several inches and Cloud leapt at it and landed in a heap on his back. He held up his new uniform, and ran his fingers over the patches on the side. He grinned from ear to ear, tracing the letters one by one. Zack had heard movement in the lounge and come out with an expectant grin, trying desperately to act surprised when Cloud held up the jacket for Zack to examine.

"SOLDIER third class?!" Zack beamed, "I told you you could do it!"

Zack then clapped the blonde over his back and smirked a little.

"I'm in SOLDIER Zack!!" Cloud grinned enthusiastically.

"You're like a kid in a candy shop, Cloud…" Zack snorted, and the blonde nodded.

"Well I'm glad I set it up well then!" Zack grinned, and a look of understanding crept over Cloud's face and he leapt up and launched himself at his roommate, pulling him into a hug. Zack was a little shell-shocked, patting Cloud on the back and ruffling his hair.

"I was wondering how I was even recognized!!" Cloud beamed.

"Well, we were talking, and we figured that you had reached SOLDIER standards. So last time we were sparring, I invited one of the officials to come and watch, and they liked what they saw!" Zack laughed, and Cloud bounced slightly. He made an odd squealing noise, before falling back onto the couch, clutching his uniform as if his life depended on it. Cloud looked up at Zack, a thought coming to mind.

"Who was talking? You and who?" Cloud asked, and Zack continued grinning.

"The general of course!!" Zack laughed, and Cloud faltered briefly. It had been a week since he had last trained with the General. Sephiroth had told Zack to call the meetings of, and to tell Cloud that he had other matters from now on to deal with. Cloud had filled with dread at these words. It had been Cloud's fault that the lessons had stopped. The last… rather heated encounter… had obviously been a large mistake on the General's account, and Cloud had been embarrassed at his actions. He still tried to grasp onto the reason why exactly he had done what he'd done. Had he been away from decent looking females for too long? He wasn't sure, but he was very reluctant to believe that anything he had done had been fuelled by a genuine attraction to the general. The more Cloud had pondered his reasons however, the more the reason seemed apparent. Over the time that the two had been training, and the occasions when the General had dropped in and spent an hour or so perched on Cloud's sofa, discussing battle techniques with Cloud, and upcoming missions with Zack, Cloud had indeed taken a liking to the seemingly cold General. Cloud had the invaluable information that the General's persona was hidden behind a shell, and Cloud had known the kind of humour and mannerisms that were capable of breaking it. He had not once spoken to the General since they had shared their moment, and the only contact he had had with him was through Zack, or listening to a speech of his at the daily assemblies. The green cat's eyes had met Cloud's blue on several occasions, but were an unreadable door to the general's emotions. Cloud was sure that whatever relations, even friendship, he and the General had, had been ruined of his accord.

"…Cloud?" Zack queried, shaking the blonde's shoulder in an overly rough manner. Cloud had apparently zoned out for sometime.

"Mmm?" Cloud replied, trying to focus on the blue eyes that were now almost scowling.

"Were you even listening?" Zack asked, frown lines forming across his pale face.

"Uh… no, not really…" Cloud replied sheepishly, and Zack sighed, rolling his eyes in mock humour.

"WELL… I was just saying that the General wanted me to congratulate you on your performance today at the trials. He said the only problem he had was with your stance whilst Jackson was dishing out a side-swipe butterfly and you tried to counter with-"

"Sephiroth was there?" Cloud interrupted, to the disapproving looks of his best friend.

"Yes Cloud, he was in the box seats at the top of the training hall. You know, with the tinted glass?" Zack replied, and Cloud nodded.

"ANYWAY… as I was saying… he thought you did very well. He must have thought you had potential, because he usually doesn't come to watch the trials."

"Oh… well I must have, hey?" Cloud grinned cheekily, and Zack once more rolled his eyes.

"Whatever you think hotshot…" Zack smirked, "Anyway, I'm off to bed, don't forget you have to go up at that assembly tomorrow, as the official induction."

Cloud froze. He'd forgotten all about that. All of his so-called peers would be watching, throwing remarks from left right and centre he was sure of it… Cloud felt a little nauseated, and Zack must have picked up on this fact, clapping him over the back.

"You'll be alright kiddo; you've got me up there with you. It'll all be as smooth as silk, you'll see!" Zack grinned reassuringly, and Zack nodded, "Night then!"

As Zack headed off down their hallway, Cloud lay back down and pondered all of the thoughts that swirled within his head. The last thing he could remember was the golden stitching reading '_Cloud Strife- SOLDIER 3__rd__ class', _before falling asleep with a content smile on his face.

Zack was hopping through the living room, trying to pull on his pants, a piece of toast hanging from his mouth, and a comb being hurriedly flicked through his hair. He quickly surrendered to the black spikes and threw the comb on the sofa as Cloud sat and smirked.

"I can't believe you woke up so late Zack!" Cloud cried, laughing as Zack dropped his toast and muttered a curse, throwing it onto the table.

"We've got time!! We **will** be on time Cloud, so don't push me!" Zack snapped, as Cloud giggled maniacally.

"WHAT?!" Zack snapped, as Cloud simply pointed at Zack's pants, issuing another steady stream of curses from the lieutenant's mouth, trying desperately to turn his pants the correct way around. Cloud stood, picking up his cap and placing it over his head, before placing on his boots. A thud resounded as Zack hit the deck, cursing frequently, as Cloud suppressed the giggle fits from flowing out as freely as Zack's swears.

They had rushed to the assembly hall, where, as Zack had presumed, people were only just shuffling in.

"I am **never **late, Cloud…" Zack said smugly, shuffling through the door and over to the stage area, where the General had been waiting. A uniformed official came and guided Cloud to a seat with a small sign reading '_Cloud Strife-reserved_'. Cloud sat down gingerly, as he felt quite a few pairs of eyes piercing the back of his head. He sighed a little, as more and more Shinra personnel filed into the hall. Zack continued standing on stage next to the impressive figure of Sephiroth who had the faintest hint on a smile across his face as Zack recounted something animatedly. Another graduate took his seat next to Cloud and glanced at him, before focusing his eyes on the stage. Cloud followed his peer's eye-line and saw the newly appointed head of the Turks up there.

"That's Tseng…" The graduate smirked, flicking long red locks from his eyes.

"Are you hoping to make it to the Turks?" Cloud asked curiously, and received a brief nod in response.

"I'll be in for sure…" The hopeful smiled to himself, still not making eye contact with Cloud. Cloud glanced at the name stitched into the SOLDIER's uniform. '_Reno Akujin- SOLDIER special second class' _

Cloud felt nauseated even further. This was a superior officer to him, which meant that this was not only induction for the third class SOLDIER successfuls. This was the whole Shinra base. He began to subconsciously wring his hands, before Zack caught his attention and gave him a reassuring smile. Cloud smiled weakly back, and Zack frowned a little concerned. He headed off the stage, the General watching him as he left, and headed in Cloud's direction.

"Are you alright?" Zack asked, placing a hand gingerly on the pale blonde, "You look kinda sick…"

"Urgh… Zack… they're all here…" Cloud groaned, and Zack ruffled his hair.

"It's just stage fright buddy, no worries…" Zack smiled, before turning to Reno.

"Reno! You made it hey?" Zack grinned, and the red-head nodded, "I knew you would. What about Rude?" The redhead gestured to the row behind him, where a bald headed figure sat, face expressionless.

"Good job Rude… you applying for the Turks too?" Zack asked.

"Sure am. Plan to make it too…" came the short reply, and Zack grinned, before clapping each one over the back and laughing.

"All my boys are growing up!" Zack beamed, clambering back up to where the General stood, leaving the three graduates looking rather sheepish.

The General looked around the packed hall, and particular at the spikey little blonde in the front row. The cadet had made it to SOLDIER, and as he turned to listen to the tale of Zack's morning, he smiled a little, unable to hold back the pride he had at what Cloud had achieved in such a short time. Zack had finally finished his story and now had a weary eye on Cloud, who Sephiroth had also noticed to appear quite ill.

"I'll be right back sir…" Zack hurried, hopping off the stage and towards the blonde. Cloud had met Sephiroth's eyes for just a second, and Sephiroth was glad to have his guard up. He had not wanted Cloud to see his concern at his welfare, it would seem too…

It had been a week now, since Sephiroth had spent any time with the young SOLDIER, and he was determined to keep it this way. Their little experience at their last training match had almost pushed Sephiroth into a pit he wasn't willing to go into. It was, simply, the young cadet getting a little too excitable and taking a moment as he saw it. Sephiroth was reluctant to see it any other way. There was no plausible reason to explain otherwise. The general no doubt had a small attraction to Cloud, but he had been determined to make the cadet dislike him from day one, so that it went no further. He had, however, failed miserably on his own side if it, instead taking quite the liking to the little Blonde. As the shock had set in at this thought, he had taken the childish route out from it and avoided him as much as possible. He had not been able to resist watching Cloud's trials though, choosing to remain in the observant box at the top of the hall. Cloud had moved exceptionally well, executing every move perfectly, down to his stance. With Zack also watching however, the general found it necessary to find some fault, and had told Zack to inform Cloud of stance. It had seemed to work rather well. The blonde was now throwing nervous glances towards him, and Sephiroth took into a conversation with Tseng to quash his urge to go and comfort the young SOLDIER. Tseng had apparently selected two members of Sephiroth's 2nd class squad to be promoted to special classes, and this had surprised the general at first, but as he turned to see none other then Reno and Rude, he had been somewhat pleased. The two, Reno in particular, had completely different styles of fighting to what the General determined to be suitable for SOLDIER. They focused heavily on brute force and intelligence missions, rather then tactics and disciplinary action. This had apparently been the perfect material for Tseng's Turk army. As the president entered the hall, there were many excited gasps and shining eyes turned to his direction, as he ascended the stairs and approached the microphone. Sephiroth ended the conversation with Tseng, and they both fell back to allow the president's speech. All ears were captivated with the promise of victory in all battles, Shinra pride, SOLDIER values and how well everyone was doing. The president then handed the mic to Tseng, who took it with a graceful motion of his hand, and approached the stand. As Tseng called up his newly appointed Turk members, along with the transferred SOLDIERs, the president sidled up next to Sephiroth, smirking.

"This is quite a miserable looking bunch you've brought me, General…" He said quietly.

"There are some in the group who have a large amount of capability, sir…" The General replied coldly.

"Well, I'm trusting they're at least capable to fight-"

"Following your guidelines when training them sir, I should hope so…" Sephiroth interrupted icily. The president nodded, a deep frown forming across his face. The General then took the stand as Tseng offered it. The room fell deathly silent. Sephiroth hated this, all the admiring eyes looking at him like a demi-god. Surely, Tseng could have done the SOLDIERs too... Sephiroth began his short speech, watching as the little blonde trembled slightly and was sneered at by his peers.

One by one, the General rattled off names, as Cloud shook uncontrollably in his seat. Reno eyed him off with a look of slight concern and curiousity. Cloud could hear the others not too subtle remarks about him being promoted and felt weakened in his legs. He snapped to attention though, as he heard his name flow from the General's mouth. He froze, as Sephiroth watched him with waiting eyes. A small smile was creeping across the General's lips as he let out a small cough.

"Uh… Cloud, you may come up and collect your weapon now…" The general smirked, as there was a mix of laughter throughout the hall. Cloud rose slowly, almost immediately being jeered at and having small paper balls thrown at him from mocking members of the Shinra whom he was meant to call his peers…

He approached the stage and slowly climbed the stage as a loud jeer of "You suck, Strife!" was called from the third row. Cloud bit his lip, feeling on the verge of tears, before hearing an almost bellow through the microphone.

"You may be granted the opportunity to sneer, Robinson, **if **not **when** you even make it to SOLDIER!!" The general snapped. The hall fell silent once more, as Sephiroth glowered around at the stunned occupants.

"Furthermore, it will not surprise me if this graduate in particular makes more of a mark in history then you could ever dream, with an amount of talent surpassing most of you combined!" Sephiroth continued. Many who had made their remarks were now drawn and pale, and Cloud smiled a little. The general then stopped, throwing another glaring look around the hall.

"Please welcome mister Cloud Strife to SOLDIER third class…" he said quietly, as the hall broke out into polite applause. The General now turned to face Cloud, who was still shell-shocked, before taking his hand and shaking it, a small smile creeping across the General face.

"Congratulations Cloud…" The general said quietly, holding out a Buster Sword.

"A buster sword?" Cloud grinned cheekily, almost suggestively, and the General nodded. Cloud took it gingerly, and moved to the side of the general, where the other graduates stood nervously.

"Light and spikey…" The general smirked wickedly, before turning back to the microphone, leaving Cloud to scowl in the corner.

Many of the occupants of the assembly were now filing out of the hall, and the General looked around for his spikey black haired friend, and his blonde counterpart to no avail.

"SEPHIROONYYYY!!!" A figure bounced through the crowd, and Sephiroth scowled, restraining himself as Zack found his way to him.

"Zack… what have I said about-"

"Have you seen Cloud, Seph?" Zack asked hurriedly, still smiling. His smile began to fade however, as the General shook his head.

"Oh…" He went out just before the assembly finished to get some water and said he would be right back, but he's been gone for awhile now…" Zack frowned, "And I can't find him anywhere…"

Sephiroth felt a little nauseated as he pictured a possible scenario.

"How long ago did Robinson leave, Zack?" he asked urgently.

"Oh, well he actually left a little after Cloud to go…" Zack began, before a look of dread fell across his face, "Shit!"

Zack then turned and sprinted for the exit, Sephiroth on his tail whilst the remaining occupants of the hall looked on in confusion. Zack had flipped open his PHS and was paging Cloud, listening for the familiar tone as he ran. Sephiroth, with hearing far more in dept, heard the shrill in the distance to his left..

"You're nothing, Strife! How did you even get into trials for SOLDIER?!" the cold tone rang out, as Sephiroth raced to the scene.  
The blonde lay limply on the ground, Buster sword by his side, and a large amount of blood over his clothing. Robinson now looked up, first with a look of smug superiority, then with a look of horror at the realization that the General had arrived. Zack had withdrawn his sword and was racing toward the cadet. Sephiroth caught him around the waist and prevented him from going further, before dropping him on the ground and reaching a gloved hand for the trembling Cadet. The general had grabbed the cadet by his collar and shook him violently.

"What the hell is **wrong **with you cadet?! You are immediately dismissed and banned from any further involvement with the Shinra!" Sephiroth bellowed, as Tseng approached the scene, cool composure still radiating through him.

"Sephiroth!" Tseng almost barked, as the General threw the cadet on the ground.

"Get him out of my sight…" Sephiroth spat, and Tseng nodded, grabbing the cadet and walking him towards the barracks. Sephiroth turned back to Cloud, where Zack was kneeling next to him, apparently in shock, and checking for a pulse. The SOLDIER was barely conscious as the general knelt beside him.

"…urgh?" Cloud tried desperately to speak, tasting nothing but blood in his mouth. He coughed a little, attempting to sit up, and spluttering blood from his mouth. A firm hand held him back down, and Cloud was almost grateful for it, as sitting up had caused an intense pain to burn through his abdomen.

"Can you talk Cloud?" A familiar voice croaked, as Cloud strained to focus his eyes. Zack and General Sephiroth were both by his side, Zack looking nothing short of ill, and the General looking somewhat concerned.

"Sephiroth… sir?" Cloud strained, before coughing violently.

"You don't need to talk Cloud… We're just going to have to heal you partially here…" The general said a little shakily, "Which means you're going to get another hit of mako from the materia." Cloud almost smirked at this last part, and saw the confusion sweep the General's face, as well as Zack's.

"Well… I'm lying down this time… so I won't fall at least…" Cloud smirked, and the General returned the favour.

"Incredible…" Sephiroth continued to smile. Cloud began to remember what had happened for him to be in this situation. He's just about reached the hall after going in search of water when Robinson had approached him from behind and hit him with his staff. Cloud had hit the ground, as Robinson then stood on Cloud's chest. He had then stooped and taken the buster sword from Cloud, and held it in his hands, before slashing Cloud through the stomach. Cloud had verged on unconsciousness from the pain, before Robinson had smirked down at him and said "It handles well Cloud…"

Cloud had writhed beneath him, finding it hard to breathe with his weight on his chest. He had then said something about Cloud not being worthy of SOLDIER, throwing the Buster on the ground, just as he'd stepped off and been greeted by the General…

The General was here, looking down with growing concern marring his cat's eyes. Cloud felt so ashamed. Sephiroth had trained him for such a long time, and he had been caught off guard by one of his own peers.

"Cloud?" Sephiroth almost seemed to question him, but the blonde simply turned his head from the General's gaze.

"Guess I'm just not… SOLDIER material…" Cloud strained, as he bit back the tears as hard as he could. He had embarrassed himself enough; he had not wanted either of the men beside him to see him cry. Sephiroth said nothing, choosing instead to cast a cure spell, throwing a warm blanket of green light over Cloud.

".. that will be suffice enough so we can move you…" The General frowned, lifting Cloud gingerly, almost cradling him in his arms. Cloud rested his head against the General's soldier and cried gently against his coat.

Sephiroth paced up and down his office. The doctor had told him that there was no point waiting for results, and he would send someone when he had them. Zack had stayed, simply not having anything else to do without Cloud there.

Sephiroth had fought a war inside his head for the last few hours now, knowing full well that the reason he had been so protective of Cloud was plainer then he was trying to determine. Even after all the sides of Cloud that Sephiroth had seen, one in particular had stuck in his mind… He had been such a quiet, almost gentle character for the majority of the time, except when they kissed… Sephiroth had never felt so subjected, like he had no control over the situation, and try as hard as he did, Cloud always managed to gain the upper hand. It had been sending thoughts to the General's head ever since. At the assembly, handing Cloud the Buster Sword, he'd seen the flare in Cloud's eyes, and it had caught his breath, leaving him unable to produce anything but a simple nod for a few seconds. Sephiroth had never really felt so… alive around Cloud. He felt human, not like with the others, where he felt like an animal at the zoo. They all just stood and stared at him, wide eyed with fascination. Cloud had been the only person aside from Zack who had treated him as Sephiroth, rather then the almighty general. He had not been afraid to get angry with the General, and this had hit Sephiroth hard. He'd fallen for the damn rookie. And as he continued pacing his office, his mind constantly strayed to the thought of the damaged body at the medic's. Cloud was hurt severely, and Sephiroth couldn't help but feel responsible for it.

Zack had burst into the room, just as Cloud was climbing out of bed.

"Cloud!!" He cried, seeing his friend mobile at last.

"Yes Zack?" Cloud smiled weakly, before his friend pulled him into a hug. With the doses Cloud was getting, he had healed relatively well in the two days he'd been in the infirmary. He was actually able to go home. He had only heard this by pretending to sleep whilst the General had been visiting earlier that day. He had stood by his bed and accused the Doctor of not doing a correct job, and had leant back on the bed next to Cloud and startled him half to death when he had suddenly grabbed his arm.

"For one thing, Doctor… look at his iv drips… You've put it too close to where he has his mako shots!" The general snapped, as the doctor hurried apologies and assured Sephiroth that Cloud was basically healed, and would just have to take it easy. Sephiroth then stood swiftly and headed for what Cloud presumed to be the door.

"Then he's being discharged from the infirmary this afternoon. Where are his papers?" The general replied swiftly. The room then fell quiet as the Doctor escorted Sephiroth from the room. Sephiroth had not come back to the room, and it appeared that Zack had arrived to collect Cloud.

"How are ya feeling buddy?" Zack asked, concern creeping across his face.

"Alright I s'pose… what's happened to Robinson?" Cloud asked. The question had been nagging at him since he'd arrived at the infirmary. Sephiroth had terrified even Cloud when he'd come to his rescue.

Cloud had held onto the hope that maybe the General had been overly protective for reasons that he had begun to appreciate within himself. He'd woken up to himself that afternoon and brushed away his denial of his feelings towards the general. Sure, why not accept it? He didn't even mind anymore that the General had no apparent feelings of his own, but he clung to the hope.

"The General sent him packing, dishonorably discharged. Apparently he was roughed up a bit by the Turks. They hate disloyalty. By the way, what did you think of Reno?" Zack grinned, and Cloud shrugged.

"He was ok I guess…" Cloud replied, as Zack nodded, picking up the young SOLDIER's duffle bag and slinging it over his shoulder.

"He's a good kid, but he's easily influenced. I wouldn't be surprised if you two ended up on opposite sides one day…" Zack frowned, as he lead Cloud down the hall and through the exit of the infirmary. A few people had stared at him as he went by and it was unsettling to the young blonde. Zack had seemed a little unsettled himself, but it was almost as if Zack had felt... excited?

"Zack…?" Cloud began, but Zack shook his head, continuing to walk.

"I'll tell you when we get back to our place…" Zack smiled a little, and Cloud anticipated some kind of surprise. He walked at a quicker pace and Zack grinned.

"You're kidding right?" The lieutenant had said that day, a smile creeping across his face as the general shook his head in reply. Sephiroth had sat calmly at his desk, hunched over application forms for SOLDIER field missions.

"Cloud needs to be protected for awhile, this is the only way we can be sure…" The General trailed off, as Tseng knocked at the door. The Turk stood quite majestically, although that was nearly always how he had come across to the General, and Sephiroth could sense the coming questions.

"General?" the Turk hesitated, gingerly entering Sephiroth's office, "I think you should reconsider your options…"

"I'm not taking a fresh turk out from under your wings, Tseng."

"What's the difference between that and taking out a SOLDIER third class?" Tseng had replied, almost gaping in fury, "THIRD class, General! Why… He's still a baby!" The General had been seated until now, and he stood so sharply and swiftly that the Turk almost recoiled, and Zack took a few paces back.

"Are you judging my decisions here, Tseng?" The General said dangerously low, almost challenging the Turk to say more. Tseng almost stopped himself, but chose instead to rise himself up even further and hold his ground.

"Well sir, I just fail to see the logic in letting out a child when you could have one of my men to do the job quicker-"

"I don't want quicker, Tseng…" Sephiroth had dropped his voice to a threatening growl, "I want it done well…"

Tseng opened and closed his mouth, somewhat resembling a fish.

"If I remember correctly," The general continued, "It was in fact one of your men competing against Cloud in his trials… and your Turk failed abysmally at the hands of my so called boy…"

Tseng raised himself as high as humanly possible, but finally decided that maybe biting his tongue was the best choice right now. He turned on his heel and paused at the door, turning back to meet eyes with the glowering general once more.

"I have a bad feeling about that boy, Sephiroth… He'll turn against this company one day, and I'll be holding you accountable…" Tseng said quietly, before turning and leaving, flustered with rage. Zack snickered a little to himself, before turning back to the General. He cringed a little as he saw the dangerous swirl in the green cat's eyes, and approached the General with caution.

"Sephiroth? Are you alright?" Zack asked tentatively.

Sephiroth had never now been so determined to prove the Turks wrong. Every single Turk was initially trained as a SOLDIER. What made Tseng think that they were any different? The only difference was the pathway of choice that the hopefuls followed. Cloud, in Sephiroth's eyes, had made the right one.

"I'm fine Zack…" The general replied finally, sitting back down and perching his feet on top of his desk.

"Well, are you coming to get Cloud now then?" Zack asked, apparently dismissing the General's response. Sephiroth paused. He wanted to keep Cloud close, but wanted him distanced. Some things would have to be left up to Zack.

"No, grab him and take him home. Tell him to get ready; I'll be over in the morning…" The general replied, almost ordering his lieutenant, snapping Zack into action, and exhaling deeply as Zack closed the door behind him. If he wasn't battling the enemy, it was the Turks, and if it wasn't the Turks, it was himself.

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Please tell me what you guys thought. -smiles-

Any advice is greatly appreciated too, after all, I write for fun, but I write for you! –grin-


	3. Mission Pt 1

Yes, well, good old dad decides the computer needs to be reformatted. Does he know how to do that? no.

Does he back up anything but the things he needs? no!!!! #$&!!! Ahem. I'm actually typing this on wordpad. -grrgh- ALSO, if that wasn't enough, i had exams, which i believe should be made illegal for people such as myself. If anyone cares, I did really well though. hehehehe. So, in short, you are more then welcome to kill me for lateness, but i have a reason. So, -ner- . Oh, and this chapter is insanely long, not to mention, sneakily in two parts. -behehe- mainly because i promised a little bit of -action- in this chapter but was WHOA so caught up in my own little story world. Oops. hehehe. As for the language, a few naughty words. Oops again. heheh. Anyway, enjoy.

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Cloud had the all out jitters, as Zack lounged lazily on the couch.

"Stop fidgeting, you're making me tired..." Zack groaned, throwing a nearby cushion at the young SOLDIER."WE'RE GOING ON A MISSION ZACK!!" Cloud beamed, and Zack scowled. Cloud had reconsidered whether waking Zack up four hours before they were meant to leave was a really good idea. "I shouldn't have told you till this morning..." Zack scowled. "We leave in like thirty minutes!!" Cloud continued to bounce with a child-like excitement, "Besides, if i had of left it to you, we wouldn't even be packed yet." Cloud chuckled to himself, and Zack smiled lazily, before turning very pale. He leapt off the couch and bound down the hall, spilling curses as he went. Cloud was suddenly made aware of the fact that he had not seen Zack do any packing since he was told last night.

"You didn't pack?!" Cloud cried, as more expletives resounded, this time directed at Cloud. He made out the odd clean statement about waking Zack up at all hours of the morning, and how that may have contributed. A knock sounded at the door, and Cloud leapt to his feet, sprinting to the door, and flinging it open. He faltered a little at the site of the General. He had abandoned his usual attire in favour of a common SOLDIER uniform. He had seem somehow refined, even as his long silver hair had been tucked rather forceably under a standard issue cap. He now had nothing framing his face, and all Cloud was hit with was the emerald green, which had now been lingering for some time. Sephiroth had been giving him somewhat questioning looks.

"Uh... you look different?" Cloud tried to explain, and the General almost smiled, still not saying a word.

"Come in, Zack's just..."

"Forgotten to pack again, I presume..." Sephiroth smirked, taking his usual place on the couch.

"How lovely to have you here, Seph!!" Zack called bitterly from down the hall, "Heck, I can HEAR you smirking!!!"

"Why do you think I'm here half an hour early, Zachary?" Sephiroth continued to smirk, as Cloud joined in.

"Yes, Zachary, The General is a heck of a lot more efficient then..."

"Oi!" Zack scowled, appearing in the doorframe leading to the hall with a pair of pants in his hands, half dressed in uniform and half dressed in a pair of tracksuit pants. He stopped on sight of the General and stifled a giggle.

"Lovely dress sense, Sephiroony..."

"Yes, as is yours, Zachary..." Sephiroth smirked back, before they both shook their heads.

"We'll be going through the main towns a fair bit... It's a little easier the less recognisable I am..." Sephiroth explained.

"Maybe you should stop being so good at it all then..." Cloud replied, realising this may have come across as a little bitter. The General considered him for a moment, before nodding.

"I think you're right, Cloud..." he smiled lightly, and Cloud felt a small heat burn in his stomach. Those rare smiles had become a frequent part of Cloud's late night fantasies. He indulged himself in the thought of them, some pure, others... not so. The green orbs of light were still lazily sweeping over Cloud, and he had to hold back the temptation to blush.

"That uniform suits you very much so, Cloud..." Sephiroth finally spoke, and Cloud grinned.

"Thank you sir. It feels extra good because of how long it took to get here!!" Cloud bubbled with pride, "And the best thing is is that you can tumble dry it and all! I'm still trying to convince Zack that they don't need to be ironed, but he won't accept that..." Cloud gave a slight scowl as he said this, and the General let out a small laugh.

"Tumble drying is always a great bonus to being able to wear a SOLDIER uniform, Cloud. So nice to see people appreciate fine laundering..." Sephiroth smirked, and Cloud felt his cheeks burn. The general had a unique talent of bringing out the inner blonde in Cloud. They sat in silence for sometime, Cloud occassionally throwing glances at the General who had now reclined on the couch opposite Cloud and rested his feet on the coffee table. Cloud did the same, realising that it would still be some time before Zack was completely ready to embark on their mission.

Sephiroth washed his eyes over the lithe blonde sprawled out comfortably on the sofa, in the striking navy outfit which clung nicely to his petite frame. His duffel bag was beside his chair, always within reach of his ever fidgeting hands, and Sephiroth smiled at the thought of an over excited Cloud not having a wink of sleep since Zack had told him yesterday of their journey into the plains of the midgar to kalm passage. There had been reports of monster sightings. this was never unusual in the area, but the kinds of creatures being mentioned were. Talks of sub-human creatures attacking livestock and even the elderly had brought thoughts to the General's mind. It just wasn't... right.

"So, what exactly are these reports we're checking out?" Cloud asked, as the General smiled. It was as if the blonde had read his thoughts, as he looked expectantly with sapphire blue for a response from the General. Before he could answer, Zack had emerged with his duffel back and a half eaten slice of pizza.

"Creepy Crawlies of the weird sort, spikey!" Zack said a little wide eyed, spraying a few pizza crumbs from his mouth, "Well at least, I've never heard of anything like it, how bout you, Seph?"

The General nodded.

"I've heard cases, but only in far off parts of the world. Sightings in Nibleheim and the likes..." He began, before both the spikey headed boys did double takes. Their eyes grew wide, as they both heard mention of the town.

"Spikey grew up there, didn't you spike?!" Zack asked hurriedly, and Cloud nodded slowly, his face losing a little colour.

"Yeah... still have a lot of family and friends there, actually..." he said quietly. Sephiroth looked directly into the distant blue eyes, and waited till they came back into focus.

"There have been no human attacks whatsoever, Cloud..." He said gently, "Besides, reports were only in the mountain areas."

The little blonde almost sighed with relief, as a horn sounded outside.

"That will be Mark. We'd best be going, are you both ready?" Sephiroth asked, rising gracefully to his feet, as Cloud turned

to a nodding Zack.

"Where the heck did you get that pizza?" Cloud screwed up his face in disgust, as Zack took another bite.

"Was in my room. I think it was dinner," Zack replied casually, "Want some?"

"We haven't had pizza for at least three nights!" Cloud cried in horror.

"Meh..." came the reply, as Zack took another large bite from the pizza slice. Sephiroth chuckled as Cloud threw a cushion at his senior officer, making him drop the pizza slice. Zack simply bent down and dusted the pizza off before taking another bite. Cloud stood up in disgust and headed for the door. Zack winked at the General as he walked past him.

"I brought it this morning while he was showering," Zack grinned, "But don't tell _him_ that."

-----------------------------

Cloud had stepped outside and felt almost immediately nauseated. Not only did he have to face the fact that he was about to go on his first mission in the company of the General and Zack, but it appeared he was going to be on a mission with a few others whose presence made him a little uncomfortable. Standing by the large Shinra Defence truck parked outside their quarters was the tall figure of Tseng. Beside him stood the two new turk recruits, Reno casually leaning against the truck, whilst Rude preferred to stand completely upright, a dark pair of sunglasses perched on his nose.

"Are we ready to go, General?" Tseng had said coolly, as Cloud became aware of a heat to his left side. He took a nervous glance at the General, whose eyes were glowing brightly. He had heard of incidents in which the General had become so angry he had lost control of the vast amounts of mako stored in his systems, and it was beginning to look as if this may be one of them.

"We?" The General had replied dangerously low, "... My two men and myself are ready. What are you doing here, I think is the most important question..."

A small smirk began to creep across Reno's face as he turned to Rude and whispered something, producing a small chuckle from the young SOLDIER. Tseng simply walked over and handed Sephiroth a piece of paper, with writing scrawled across it. Cloud managed to make out the President's seal and signature at the bottom of the letter, before Sephiroth refolded the paper and shoved it into his coat.

"As far as Kalm..." The General said in the same cold tone, almost gritting his teeth, "Then you can make your own way back."

"But General!" Tseng gaped.

"You have your own resources. Pull a few strings and stop wasting mine..." Came the reply, as Sephiroth walked calmly past the Turk leader and pulled himself swiftly into the back of the truck. Zack did the same, allowing enough time to clap Tseng on the shoulder sympathetically as he walked past. Cloud moved forward too, before Tseng grabbed his shoulder.

"Just a second Strife..." He said, as Reno and Rude turned to face their leader, sensing some kind of conflict. Tseng ushered the pair inside the truck, however, before turning back to Cloud.

"Sir?" Cloud queried, and Tseng let out a sigh.

"This is your first mission, yes?" He asked, as Cloud nodded slowly. Tseng looked over Cloud, a softness echoing throigh his deep brown eyes. Cloud had never felt so comfortable with a commanding officer then he did right now, and yet so terrified at what he might say. Tseng had a kind of air around him. Cloud could see quite clearly that Tseng was an overall caring character, he was even somewhat normal, but there was a flare behind his eyes, and as he even rested his hand on Cloud, he could tell he was very strong. Besides all that, he had heard stories of the missions Tseng had been on in order to get to the top ranking, and some of them had made his skin crawl. He had done unspeakable acts, but Cloud could tell that even though he had done them, he hadn't necessarily wanted to. Shadows marred his face, as if his regrets had pilled up behind him and were bearing down more then he could handle.

"The thing is, Cloud," Tseng continued, "We've been personally sent on for various reasons. I don't necessarily want to be here myself, and as you can tell, the General doesn't want me here either."

Tseng let out a small smile, and Cloud did couldn't help but smile a little himself.

"We have far different objectives on this mission then you do, but our goal is somewhat similar..." Tseng continued, flicking his hair over his shoulder, "And all I'm asking here is for you to do your best."

"Of course sir..." Cloud began, but Tseng, shook his head.

"I don't mean the best you can do, and if you fail, it's a bit of a mishap. You do your best, and then you try and beat it, every step of the way," Tseng said with a suddenly authorative stance, "The best way to do that is to think that if you fail, we all do. For some of us, that is the case."

Cloud nodded, realisation dawning on him that this mission might mean a lot more to himself and Tseng then first presumed.

"Now quick, hop on the truck..." Tseng nodded curtly, giving Cloud's shoulder a squeeze and somewhat steering him towards the vehicle. The General looked up with eyes still glowing as they approached the back of the truck, although they had lost much of their intensity. Cloud attempted rather miserably to swing himself into the truck as everyone before him had, as his body frame and height just weren't quite suited to these kinds of actions. Besides, as Cloud thought to himself, the truck was very high. That must have been a factor. Yes, he was sure of it. He had tried three times to swing up before a strong arm had hoisted him into the truck and kept him steady as he gained ground. The General had a smirk creeping across his face as he sat back down on one of the benches in the truck.

"Good going, spikey!" Zack laughed, as he gestured at the space between himself and the General. Cloud took the seat, and looked across to where Rude sat.

"Uh, why are you wearing sunglasses still?" Cloud asked curiously. Reno broke out into a wide smirk, before turning to Rude.

"Good question..." he teased, and Rude turned a faint shade of pink.

"... it's sunny..." He replied shortly, before Reno laughed hysterically.

"We're INSIDE A TRUCK!!!" He snorted, and Rude slunk a little further down.

"... I like them..."

"They're fashionable at least..." Tseng sighed, before banging on the side of the truck. This must have been a signal for the driver, as the truck slowly jolted into action. Zack almost immediately launched into talk of the mission and what he was expecting from it. He then decided to share his opinion on the Kalm area and a girl he found there last summer. Reno had become particularly interested in this part. Tseng was speaking a lot more then Cloud ever expected him too, discussing battle tactics and other similar missions he had been on, as well as making the odd joke here and there. It was becomeing ever easier to judge these people as the journey went on, Cloud found out. Rude had indeed stayed quiet for pretty much the whole time, preferring to simply nod or shrug when he was addressed. Reno appeared to be somewhat of a lady's man, and Cloud was a little annoyed by the character. He seemed to think that he was, in fact, one of the best people on the planet. He glanced to his left and saw the General skimming over paperwork, his eyes back to normal, or what you could call normal. Cloud had never found anything about the General to be particularly normal. Intimidating, sarcastic, even a little psychotic, but never particularly normal. Not that this was a bad thing. He was seemingly still very angry, but he appeared to be able to control it a little better. "General?" Cloud said quietly, as the rest of the group carried on their conversations.

Sephiroth look up slowly, his eyes focusing on Cloud's concerned face.

"Yes SOLDIER?" he replied, amused at the grin that formed on Cloud's face as he said that favoured 's word'.

"Are you alright?" he asked even quieter, sure not to be heard by the others. Sephiroth found this a little odd. Was Cloud trying to gain brownie points by asking how he was feeling, and embarrassed by it?

"I'm alright. You look a little pale, Cloud..." The General replied, returning absent-mindedly to the paperwork in front of him, hoping Cloud would drop the matter.

"It's just that you seem a little angry... And, I dunno, a bit quieter then usual?" Cloud said, seemingly sheepish. Sephiroth suppressed a smile. The only thing that Cloud seemed to be after was a bit of attention, and to honestly see if he was alright. He had vaguely heard the conversations around him, and Cloud had been left out of most of them, unless Zack had dragged him in.

"You're rather quiet too, Cloud..." Sephiroth sighed, before handing the little blonde a piece of paper. He watched the nimble fingers flip it open and the bright blue scan the page, before Cloud's usually pale cheeks went a little green. He had seen the same reaction many times, and knew what the problem was.

"Stand up and lean out of the truck, Cloud..." Sephiroth smirked, banging on the side of the truck. It slowed to a stop just as Cloud vomitted over the back of the truck. Tseng reached out and patted the blonde on the back.

"What did that paper say, Seph?" Zack asked, seemingly horrified. Sephiroth smirked, and shook his head a little.

"Nothing really, Cloud appears to have motion sickness, that's all..." Sephiroth reached over and gave the blonde a pat on the back, just as he emptied his stomach contents again. Rude screwed up his face, as Reno rolled his eyes and Tseng continued rubbing Cloud's back. There was a pause for a minute or so, where nothing happened, before Cloud turned around and sat back down, head in hands.

"You alright, Spikey?" Zack asked, gently placing a hand on the blonde's head. Cloud simply nodded, and Sephiroth hit the side of the truck again, as the driver carried on. Reno and Rude were watching Cloud cautiously, and inching away from him moreso every minute. Tseng carried on his conversation with Zack however, throwing worried glances at the blonde. Sephiroth was more then concerned about this. Tseng had been the one to show just how little he cared about the cadet in the General's office, and now, he seemed to almost care for him. Sephiroth watched Tseng for a minute, before bending down enough to reach Cloud's ear.

"What did Tseng say to you outside?" He asked quietly, and Cloud jumped a little, clearly startled. The little blonde did bnot look up, however and merely shrugged.

"Nothing too important, really. Told me he wanted me to do my best and all. Better then my best, and i should think that if i fail, so do the others..." Cloud said raspily. Sephiroth reached into his pack and pulled out a bottle of water, passing it to Cloud. He took it cautiously, and Sephiroth smirked.

"It's not poisoned yet, Cloud..." he smirked again, as Cloud smiled wickedly.

"Wouldn't even be sick if you hadn't made me read..." the blonde replied, taking a long drink from the bottle. Sephiroth shook his head, before turning back to the letter in his lap from the president himself. He had specifically said that the Turks were to escort their party to Kalm. Tseng had been very friendly with Cloud all journey, and had had that discussion with him outside the truck. If he failed, they'd all fail. It then began to dawn on the General. The various discussions he'd had with the president over Cloud's outstanding achievements, the lack of Turk members since the war, the sudden interest Tseng had in the boy... They were trying to recruit him. If Cloud went with the Turks... It just couldn't happen. Cloud was sitting up now, and Sephiroth once more leant over to talk to him.

"Cloud, what do you think of the turks? The kind of work they do?" he asked in an almost whisper, as Cloud looked back at him with a puzzled look on his face.

"Uh, their work is awful... But i guess ours can be too right?" he said, seemingly thinking it over, "But heck, they get paid a lot more then we do!"

The little blonde laughed a little, and Sephiroth relaxed a little. Cloud had always been very moral when it came to his decision making. He was much more likely to say no because of the bad side of the work rather then the benefit of the money. It was true, the turks lived in luxury. They were paid much more then the SOLDIER's. this was due to the fact that they were specially hired for the more intriquet missions. Sephiroth was distracted from his thoughts as the driver suddenly stopped and opened the panel to stick his head through.

"What's going on, SOLDIER?" Sephiroth asked firmly. They were certainly not at Kalm yet.

"There's something... massive on the road ahead, Sir..." the SOLDIER replied a little shakily, his face pale, "and i think it's alive..."

Sephiroth felt his blood run colder, as Tseng gave him a knowing nod, and stood up. Cloud grabbed the General's arm in an apparently subconscious manner, looking up frightfully as he saw a sense of fear spreading across even Zack's face.

"What is it, Sir?" he asked. Sephiroth shrugged as best as he could, grabbing Cloud's hand from his arm and pulling him up.

"We're about to find out though, aren't we Cloud..." he replied sarcastically, as Cloud blushed. Sephiroth felt a little guilty at making the blonde feel so supposedly embarrassed, but this was no time to explain anything. Moreso, a time for action.

"You'll be fine Cloud..." Tseng smiled reassuringly, putting his hand on Cloud's shoulder and squeezing it again, "Just remember what i told you."

"Maybe that's not the best thing to remember..." Sephiroth said coolly. The idiot was going to scare Cloud half to death before he even got out there.

"Don't worry if you can't handle it, we've got plenty of force here..." The General continued, as Tseng's eyes narrowed, before he leapt off of the truck.

"You'll be fine..." Sephiroth smiled slightly at the blonde, before following Tseng and leaping off the back of the truck.

Cloud watched the silver haired General, followed by Reno and Rude, walk out of sight around the side of the truck before he felt Zack clap him on the back.

"See? You're all set Spikey!!" he grinned, "Let's go kill some stuff!"

He grinned again, before leaping off the back of the truck and landing gracefully, as Cloud chose to instead climb off the back of the vehicle. He landed awkwardly and fell onto his back, just in time to look up into Emerald Green. He was hoisted upright to a smirking General, who then proceeded to return to the front of the truck. Cloud had done nothing but embarrass himself so far, but it was so very different to the barracks. The support was coming from high places here. The head of the Turks and the General of the army. Sephiroth had been protective, and Cloud had felt very uneasy about this. Cloud had not felt as if he were in any danger, but the way he had been speaking about Tseng had unnerved him, and the General had kept an eye on the Turk for the entire trip. Now, as he walked slowly around the truck, none of this seemed to matter. He had reached far enough to see what Zack had been so concerned about, and his heart almost stopped. There was a serpent on the road before them. Cloud had seen snakes, and he had seen big snakes, even huge ones, but this was something completely different. As it rose before them, Cloud's heart caught in his throat.

"That's gotta be at least six metres tall..." Zack said in awed terror. The General stood silently, Tseng by his side. Reno was slowly backing away from the situation, eyes wide and mouth gaping, whilst Rude stood, apparently frozen with fear. The serpent was coiling itself as if ready to attack. Cloud recognised the action, and felt the surge of mako through his body as the adrenaline kicked in. Cloud saw the General giving disapproving looks to the cowering Turks, before he drew out the Buster Sword and raced forwards. He dodged an outstretched hand of Zack's and raced towards the beast. There was no way in hell he was going to miss this opportunity. His legs shook from the fear, as they pounded along the asphalt, but he needed this. He needed to solve this problem to get any real recognition by the General as a combat fighter. A fighter capable of SOLDIER. He gripped the sword tightly and moved forward, as the serpent rose above him. He lunged the blade forward and felt it pierce the flesh of the giant snake, before twisting the blade and sliding it back out. It coiled again, lunging at Cloud. The mako flowed freely, and all the moves he had been taught by the watching General came in handy. He turned and leapt out of the path of danger, before swinging and connecting with flesh again. A hiss resounded, as fangs once again lunged at the blonde. Cloud was not sure how it had happened, but as he jumped to avoid the oncoming attack, he had landed on top of the beast. He had little time to think, as his body was coursed with mako and his strength increased and flowed freely from his body. He instead plunged his sword straight downwards and through the skull of the serpent, causing it to immediately drop to the ground. It landed heavily, and Cloud toppled off the top of it, managing to draw out his sword before hitting the asphalt. The snake lay still, it's eyes still open in the final moment of it's life, before Cloud slashed it in a final reassurance. There was an eery silence across the plains, except for the sound of approaching thunder, as Cloud turned to face the group. Reno was, if at all possible, gaping even further, still hiding in the backdrop of the group, whilst Rude slowly took off his sunglasses, mouth as wide as Reno's. Zack had a massive grin across his face, as he ran over to Cloud and clapped him on the back, giving the serpent a look over, before screwing up his nose.

"That's... Nasty..." Zack gagged, as the smell of the beast's blood mignled in the air. Cloud turned to look at the beast again, and only now took in the real picture. The Serpent was able to stand at over six metres, and yet the body of the beast was coiled up for at least another few metres further. This was Cloud's first public kill, and it had been an impressive one. He recoiled a little himself now, as he smelt the blood, and took in the scene. He had the dark red liquid over the front of his new uniform, as well as over his hands and sword.

"Dude, you stink!" Zack laughed, ruffling Cloud's hair and having some blood flicked at him in the process. He scowled before removing the blood and wiping it on a clean spot on Cloud's outfit. Cloud turned to face the group again, to find them now approaching him, Tseng reaching him first.

"Cloud, that was..." He smiled widely, clapping his back once more and resting his arm around his shoulder, "That was possibly the best fighting I've seen since the General!"

He then let out a small laugh, as the General in question appeared before Cloud and the Turk.

"He's certainly been trained well, General..." Tseng smiled, but he was met by a rather cold dismissal of the compliment. In fact, the General showed no visible emotion whatsoever.

"That was pretty good work there, Strife..." Reno smirked, holding out a hand, as Cloud gingerly took and shook it. Rude did the same, but not saying a word. Zack was already working on getting the snake off of the road, and Cloud felt obliged to help. Tseng held him back though, placing a hand on his chest, and pushing him away.

"No Cloud, you've done quite enough..." He smiled, bending down and grabbing onto the side of the serpent. With the General's help, they managed to get the serpent onto the side of the road, as Tseng began talking animatedly into a phone, whilst Zack recounted Cloud's every action during the battle back to him. Cloud watched Sephiroth survey the scene once more before heading back to the truck. Cloud felt a little disheartened. The General had not seemed the slightest bit impressed at anything Cloud had done. He told himself that that was alright, he had plenty of opportunities to prove himself in the future after all. He just wished that there was at least some kind of recognition. Cloud excused himself from Zack and followed the General, having the feeling that maybe there was more to this then what met the eye. As he walked around the back of the truck, he looked inside for the General and found him reclined lazily on one of the benches. Cloud hopped up onto the back of the truck with a lot more ease then last time, and Sephiroth sat up, almost instantly playing the role of commanding officer once again. The General was looking more human then Cloud had ever seen him. He had removed the cap, and the long silver hair now hung over the navy blue in a striking contrast. Cloud swallowed hard as he resisted the urge to touch the silver locks.

"Is everything alright, Cloud?" He asked, Emerald eyes questioning and almost too piercing. Cloud felt as if Sephiroth could see more about Cloud then he ever wanted to show, just by staring.

"Uh... I actually came to ask you the same thing..." Cloud asked awkwardly. He had accepted much earlier that he had an attraction to the General, but it had just started to sink in that it might not have been such a small attraction as he first thought. A small smile flickered at the sides of the General's thin lips at the question, before he nodded slowly.

"Yes Cloud, why wouldn't it be?" He asked, gesturing for the blonde to take a seat across from him, the cat-like eyes still focused intently on him, making Cloud's cheeks burn at the intensity.

"You've been really quiet... and you didn't even make an attempt at that Serpent..." Cloud shrugged, trying to make it seem insignificant to him, "I guess it was just weird, that's all..."

"Cloud, there's something that I guess has been bothering me..." The General frowned, and Cloud panicked a little.

"And what's that sir?"

"Was the opinion of the Turks you gave me an honest one? You don't like their work? You don't like what they do?" he asked, as Emerald glowed a little brighter, "Surely you have heard the stories..."

"Yes, of course. I was truthful..." Cloud interrupted, "And everyone's heard the stories..."

At this Sephiroth reached over and put his hand on Cloud's shoulder. The blonde fought to keep the colour from rushing to his cheeks. The General pat the blonde on the back and squeezed Cloud's shoulder.

"I am extremely glad to hear that, Cloud..." He said softly, as the green locked onto blue and glowed intensely. They were almost studying him, the General's hand putting a delicious amount of pressure on his shoulder, his eyes reading Cloud's deeply. Then, for a fleeting moment, Cloud could see the swirl of green which showed that Sephiroth was facing a conflict of emotion. The General produced a lazy smile, eyes a little unfocused, and yet still intent on Cloud.

"Hey General, there's a helicopter coming from Kalm to get the remains of this serpent..." Zack sighed, screwing up his nose as he walked around the corner and hopped into the truck, "No idea why, that thing is NASTY. Apparently Hojo wants it for some kind of experiment."

Cloud could have beaten Zack right now, as he watched the green slowly return to their calm state, as the smile remained. Then, all contact was broken, as the General turned to Zack, reaching his hand from Cloud's shoulder to grab the papers Zack presented him.

"I have these for the other ones, but they should be fine for this one, right?" Zack asked, reclining back on the bench, oblivious to the situation he had interrupted. Sephiroth read over the papers in his hand, and nodded.

"They'll be good enough..." He said quietly, and Zack nodded, taking his pen from his pocket and snatching the papers from the General's hand.

"Zack..." Sephiroth almost growled.

"You were done, right? Cool..." Zack grinned, before beginning to fill out the papers. Sephiroth scowled, trying to hide the smirk creeping across his lips as Cloud giggled quietly to himself.

"Strife..." A voice called from outside the truck, and the General turned to look out the back. Cloud followed his gaze to find Tseng with a small smile across his face. Reno and Rude were beside him for a moment before hopping in.

"Yes sir?" Cloud replied, as he felt an intense tension surrounding him, as Sephiroth and Tseng seemed to size each other up. Cloud had always been curious to what could have caused such a rift between the two, but he was too scared to ask the General. At that moment, as he glanced in the direction of the silver assassin, he became aware of just why they called him that. He watched as the mako flared through Sephiroth's eyes again, and his face became slightly pink.

"Would I be able to speak with him briefly, General, sir?" Tseng said a little quieter then was necessary.

"I guess that would be permittable..." Sephiroth replied coldly, as Cloud rose and walked towards the edge of the truck, "Be back before the helicopter arrives, we will wait for no one..."

Tseng nodded sharply, and Cloud gave a fleeting glance to the General, who still had venom in his eyes. Cloud turned back around and judged the height to the ground from the truck floor. He decided to try and jump down this time, but once again his small frame failed him and he stumbled forwards, narrowly avoiding falling over. He would have, had it not been for the strong arms that had caught him, and gently set him upright, brushing him off. He looked up meekly at Tseng, who was smiling at him, before placing a familiar hand on his shoulder once again.

"Are you alright Cloud?" He smirked a little, "You should be a little more careful..."

"Yes Sir... uh, thank you..." Cloud blushed. He had always been clumsy, but this trip had already proven him to be horribly un-coordinated.

"That's quite alright..." Tseng smiled, putting his arm around Cloud's shoulder and leading him away from the truck.

Nothing had niggled the General as much then seeing Tseng and Cloud in such a position. He had seen the almost graceful save of Cloud by Tseng, and the smile Tseng had given the blonde. He now had more then the one issue nagging at his mind. Not only was Tseng trying to recruit one of his best fighters, but he... he seemed to fancy Cloud. That brought about a feeling of protection over the little blonde. Sephiroth put this down to the fact that he knew best: Once a SOLDIER was distracted from his duties, especially by a Turk, all hope was lost. The Turks were reknowned for having attractive team members. The tall, dark and handsome type, with a lust for battle and conflict. The General could barely contain himself at the thought of Tseng and Cloud out there alone, doing god knows what. He knew for a fact that Tseng had been able to get so close to some of his victims by simply charming his way to their trust. Sephiroth scowled as he pictured Tseng doing that to Cloud as he sat there, luring him into the Turks. As if on cue, Reno and Rude stood and excused themselves, saying they were going to wait for the helicopter outside. Sephiroth nodded his approval, and he was left with Zack, eyeing him suspiciously. It drove the General up the wall just how easily Zack was able to read his thoughts.

"Yes?" Sephiroth asked, locking eyes with sapphire blue, so much like Cloud's that he had to look away.

"Cloud... is he... Why is Tseng paying so much attention to him?" Zack asked bluntly.

Sephiroth could not help but think that was a very good question, and pray that he was wrong.

"Would you like my honest opinion, Zack?"

"Is there any other opinion with you?" Zack smirked.

"I believe he's trying to recruit Cloud..." Sephiroth said bitterly. There was a pause.

"...Trying to recruit him?! For The Turks?!" Zack gaped, and Sephiroth nodded.

"It would appear so..."

"But he was so adamant not to have Cloud here!!!" Zack continued gaping.

"But he has both of his freshlings out on the field. I think that was his main concern. As per usual, the Turks were more concerned in gaining killing points then the integrity of a mission..." Sephiroth scowled.

"Is he not confident in Cloud?" Zack queried, "Or is he a little shaky with his boys?"

"He's a little something with boys in general..." the General smirked, "He has an eye out for all the pretty ones."

Zack was clearly holding back the urge to laugh, as the General turned to face him once more.

"What, Zack?" he said coldly, and Zack smirked.

"Oh nothing, just making comparisons..." he continued to smirk, a little more deviously, "So hey, you think that this is somehow an attack from Tseng? The whole jealousy issue between Turk and SOLDIER?"

"Yes, when Tseng can surely see how much I want Cloud around..."

Sephiroth paused, hoping that Zack would dismiss this slip up and they could carry on with their conversation.

"SOLDIER and I need more people like Cloud in our forces..." The General continued, before being interrupted by Zack.

"What SOLDIER needs is a dedicated Leader. Sometimes you have to sacrifice the things you most cherish for the team effort..." Zack sighed, "And other times, maybe you just need to take that risk. Just tell people outright how you feel..."

Sephiroth sat in silence, not sure how to respond to his lieutenant, as he locked eyes with the sapphire blue once more.

"The best leaders also care about their men though..." Zack continued softly, "As their other men will kick their ass if they try anything that will hurt a comrade. Physically OR mentally..."

Sephiroth's face must have shown the surprise that had come from this sudden statement, as Zack gave a piercing look to his commanding officer. It was Zack's belief that Cloud would somehow get hurt?

"You know, it wouldn't kill you to talk about your thoughts a little more often, General..." Zack frowned, seemingly concerned.

"He's a brilliant fighter..." Sephiroth diverted, "Tseng's quite eager on him. I've never seen him show so much interest in a freshling..."

"Seph..."

"Yes Zack?" Sephiroth replied calmly.

"... Nothing..." Zack sighed, leaning back against the truck wall and putting his hands behind his head.

It was going to rain soon, surely. Cloud could feel the wind picking up, and the stormclouds above were growing darker as they walked. Tseng had so far been silent, staring at the ground as they walked, his hands behind his back. Cloud had simply walked beside him, no idea where he was being taken or what exactly Tseng wanted. Cloud threw a look behind him, and could only just see the truck in the distance. The helicopter had not yet made it's presence known, and Cloud was debating whether leaving the area was a good idea in this case. Tseng had a calming effect on him though, he had a strong sense of power, but he came across as very gentle and carefree, which made him easy to be around. Sure enough, a few drops of rain began to fall. The rain never really did bother Cloud though. He'd spent most of his training for Shinra in rainy conditions. This kind of rain trip was a little different, that he was aware of.

"Sir?" Cloud began hesitantly, as warm and inviting chocolate brown eyes met his, and he felt a little flit in his stomach. No doubt about it, Tseng was attractive. All the Turks were. Even Rude in his own little way.

"Yes SOLDIER?" Tseng smiled, and Cloud swallowed hard.

"Uh... I was just wondering what were doing out here?" Cloud asked quietly, "The helicopter could arrive any minute now, and..."

"They won't come until I tell them to. They're over that ridge..." he smiled, pointing at the rocky ranges before them, before finally stopping where he was and meeting Cloud's eyes with full attention. The rain fell steadily, but still with very little force.

"The thing is Cloud, you have an amazing amount of talent, especially with a weapon..." Tseng smiled, "And you have been getting a lot of recognition for it, believe me."

"The General didn't seem to..."

"The General can't see real talent, only build it..." Tseng said coldly, losing his calm facade for a fraction before returning to the small smile creeping across his face, "But anyway Cloud, you are noticed. Even the president has spoken well of you."

This was certainly news to Cloud. The President had spoken about him? Cloud's ears were still ringing with Tseng's attack on the General though, and Cloud felt compelled to find out the truth.

"Tseng, Sir, I just wanted to ask something, if it is not too forward..." Cloud asked, and Tseng gave a small laugh, showing beautiful white teeth, which Cloud speculated on for a bit.. The rumours going around was that Tseng had surgery on several of his teeth, after being involved in a fight with a rebellion group. The rumours were that the rebellion group had then been almost single handedly exterminated by tseng himself. All twelve higher ranked members, with no more then a staff and pistol.

"Sure, Cloud. Whatever you like!" Tseng grinned again, and Cloud resisted the urge to stare.

"Uh, Well, you and the General..."

"Do not agree, No. You were wondering why?" Tseng finished for Cloud. Cloud simply nodded, dumbfounded.

"The Turks and the SOLDIER higher ranks have always clashed. It was during a particularly bad clash of power that the General and my predecessor got into an argument. My predecessor used a little force against the General, but caused very little damage. He was dismissed from further military action... " Tseng scowled, losing his composure once again, but only fleetingly. This had intrigued Cloud to no end. The only time that he had ever seen Tseng the slightest bit unsettled was on mention of the General.

"Long story short, Cloud, Shinra treats the General like their little golden child, and I disapprove of such treatment..." Tseng sighed a little distantly, before turning back to Cloud.

"Anyway, enough talk. I'll get straight to the point..." Tseng smiled warmly, and Cloud returned the favour.

"We think you have what it takes to be the next Turk team leader. You would only be in competition with Reno, and as we have seen today, he lacks a certain bravado with reptiles and creepy crawlies of the sort..." Tseng smiled, but was met with an automatic frown from Cloud.

"Is anything the matter Cloud?" Tseng asked, concerned, as Cloud nodded.

"I can't be a Turk. I'm not cut out for it..." Cloud began, but Tseng shook his head.

"You have already proved yourself far beyond worthy, Cloud..."

"Sir..." Cloud retaliated, "If the General has moral issues with Turk work then I'm sure i would too..."

Tseng flinched slightly at the harsh tone in Cloud's voice, and Cloud felt a pang of guilt at it.

"I didn't mean it to come out that way, i'm sorry Sir..." he coughed a little, hoping to ease the awkwardness. Tseng simply shook his head and turned back in the direction of the truck, before moving forward.

"That's quite alright Cloud, it's just such a disappointment..." Tseng sighed, but continued smiling at Cloud, "You certainly have everything we look for in Turk candidates... but it seems that once again the General's influence has proven overpowering..."

Cloud considered this, and wondered just what it was a person was required to have to meet Turk standards, and as he turned back to face Tseng, he noticed the Turk had gone quiet in favour of gazing at the blonde. His eyes were scanning over the blonde's face with somewhat of a hunger in their glow. Cloud blushed at the intensity of his suggestive gaze, and was taken aback by this seemingly strange behaviour from the Commander.

"Commander, Sir..." Cloud began, but Tseng simply shook his head once more.

"No Cloud, some things do not need to be said. I am aware very much so of my position here. I intend to keep it that way..." Tseng smiled, brushing a strand of blonde hair off of Cloud's face, "But god it is hard sometimes..."

He then put his hands behind his back once more, almost forcing himself away, as Cloud burned furiously at the rather intimate encounter he had just had. He would have had no idea of Tseng's feelings, had it not been so blatantly expressed in Tseng's last words and actions. He wondered if it had been obvious to anyone else that Tseng may have been attracted to him. He had barely known the Turk at all, speaking with him only on this trip and three or four times at the mess hall. He wiped off the rain which had pooled on his face, and flicked it to the ground. They'd picked a GREAT time to come on mission.The rest of the walk was extremely awkward, at least on Cloud's behalf. Tseng walked silently beside him, but he could feel the piercing chocolate brown sweeping over him, so intense, Cloud felt as if Tseng's burning gaze would ignite the skin he focused it on. Eventually they reached the truck, and Tseng almost immediately got on his cell phone, lingering on Cloud for a second longer, a smile across his lips. He was attractive, but Cloud wasn't sure he wanted this attention from the commander. Zack must have seen a change on Cloud's face, as he leapt off of the truck and pulled Cloud out of earshot.

"What happened? You look a little pale..." Zack asked, and Cloud gave a nervous glance around, before sighing. Zack did nothing much more then stare at cloud as he recounted the story, making Zack's eyes grow wider with every word. Zack latched on to Cloud's arm and pulled him further away, gesturing to the General that they would not be long. Cloud saw the response in the form of a curt nod, as the emerald green turned to face the Commander, as he hung up his cell phone.

"The helicopter will be arriving shortly, Gen..."

"What did you say to him, Commander?" Sephiroth interrupted the smooth tone of Tseng's voice with a cold bitterness. Something on Cloud's face when he had returned with the commander, had unsettled the General, and there was no way he was letting Tseng get his foot in the door in any way.

"We simply discussed his performance, and his capabilities..." Tseng replied, smiling smugly. He was enjoying this irritation of Sephiroth, and that fact alone was driving the General crazy. Chocolate brown eyes gazed back lazily at him, as he could feel the mako swirl through his own green ones.

"I think it was a little more then that. I would think encouragement could wait, surely, Commander?"

"At least he gets it from me, General..." Tseng replied sharply, eyes narrowing.

"What exactly is that meant to mean, Commander?" Sephiroth said, his voice dropping dangerously low, as he felt himself starting to lose control. How could the Turk sit across from him so calmly, and make insinuations about his methods, when he himself had done so many things that were immoraly wrong? Tseng simply smirked at him, the chocolate brown flashing brightly, and Sephiroth knew that if either one said as much as a word, their conflict would come to a whole other level. He chose instead, to lean back in the truck, and place his hands calmly behind his head. Tseng nodded, doing the same. The tension slowly eased away, until the General found himself calm enough to speak.

"Commander, we both clearly have major differences here," He said flatly, "But there is no need for it to get to the point it just did..."

"None at all, General..." Tseng replied just as flatly. Sephiroth watched over him a little, remembering just how much Tseng had changed, from being under his command to being selected as a Turk, and now, to leading them. It had all come undone with the mishap of Joseph Allender, former turk Commander. The argument between Alleander and the general himself had come to a somewhat heated fight, resulting in the Commander being discharged. Tseng had not been fond of Sephiroth ever since, neither had many of the other Turks. Sephiroth's first classes had followed him through thick and thin, and Zack had become his literal right hand man. The First Class SOLDIERS were probably the closest thing to friends that the General had. He was quite content with that, knowing full well that he chose not to associate with those higher up, unless it was necessary, for a reason. He also chose not to associate with many of those who were too far below him, finding their treatment of him as a demi-God somewhat infuriating. All of them did it in the lower ranks.

..._All except Cloud..._

The General mused at the thought of the little blonde SOLDIER who even had the nerve to get angry before him. Even more daringly, he had the nerve to be angry AT him.

Tseng seemed to be considering the General now, Chocolate brown delving into his mako infused eyes and reading the information there. It was probably the most frustrating thing that Sephiroth had found out about the Turks. They had been trained to read emotion, and even he wasn't protected.

"General..." Tseng smiled a little, as Sephiroth froze. What had the Turk seen in himself that he may not have realised was showing? He tried to gather his thoughts and work on a tactic. He had been able to block some Turks by throwing up a wall in which his emotions stayed shielded, but it failed on Tseng. Tseng even laughed a little.

"It seems we have more in common then you may realise..." Tseng smiled gently, almost sympathising with the General, but Sephiroth couldn't place what he was saying.

"I doubt that we have as much as you're trying to insin..."

"Sephiroth... General... Surely you know how the Turks are trained to look beyond a facade?" Tseng smiled, as Sephiroth scowled, "But, as you wish, we shall leave that subject."

They sat in silence for a short time, whilst the general considered what emotion Tseng must have picked up on, before Sephiroth looked up once more to meet deep brown.

"General, the helicopter may contain a certain scientist. I was just contemplating whether to keep you in the truck whilst he's here, as I chose to leave out your presence in the brief conversation I had with him..." Tseng said quietly, a look of understanding marring his face. The General sighed in spite of himself. Tseng and himself had not gotten along for some time now, but he still knew and cared enough to look out for him when he needed it.

"Thank you Commander, honestly..." Sephiroth managed a small smile, before grimacing, "But If he sees me, he sees me. He'll need a report."

Tseng nodded, before turning to look outside the truck. As the rain fell heavier, the general scanned for Cloud and Zack. As they had been speaking earlier, Zack's face had seemed shocked, almost horrified, and whatever Tseng had done, he would find out in one way or another. he felt a little uneasy as he heard the helicopter coming into land, even through the heavy rain, and saw no sign of the blonde or his lieutenant. Tseng rose to his feet and climbed out of the truck, seemingly oblivious to the sheet rain falling around him. Sephiroth reluctantly followed him. He had never feared Hojo, but he brought a feeling of uneasiness as he remembered his youth spent with the scientist, and the only thing he had ever remembered fearing: the lab. Along with those memories, came a feeling of rage, and the intense desire to kill the professor, which would have very much unwanted consequences.

Zack could do no more then shake his head. Or so Cloud presumed, as it was all he had been doing for the past ten minutes or so.

"So, he... you know, LIKES you?" Zack asked for the fourth time since Cloud had recounted his story. Once again, Cloud merely nodded, and Zack returned to shaking his head.

"It makes no sense though! How could he like YOU?!" Zack cried, as Cloud scowled, "Uh, not that you know, it's impossible to like you... uh..."

Cloud shook his head and held up a hand in an attempt to shut Zack up.

"It's just that... he always spoke of you in a very different manner to the General..." Zack contemplated, "unless it's a whole issue of jeal..."

"That's the helicopter!" Cloud cried, as the vehicle flew over the top of them. Cloud then realised that Zack was still saying something when he had zoned out, in search of the helicopter.

"What was that, Zack?" Cloud asked curiously, wondering if his ears had caught the end of what Zack had said correctly. Zack, however, stood silently, his face looking somewhat terrified. Cloud tried desperately to register what Zack had said. Something about the commander not speaking highly of him, but what was the last bit?

"Come on, we don't want to be late, or they'll drive off without us!" Zack laughed nervously, turning and heading back for the truck, as the rain continued to pelt into them. When they reached the truck, however, they found it deserted. Even as the rain fell loudly against the metal roof of the van, Cloud could clearly hear what appeared to be an argument. Zack gave him a startled look, as the General's voice rang clear through the air. They both ran around the side of the truck, as Cloud got his first sighting of Professor Hojo. The man looked as cruel and heartless as all the stories had told, as he stood before the shinra party with a menacing smirk on his face, the masamune blade held against his thin and pale throat. Even through the falling rain and mist, Cloud could clearly see the blazing mako in the General's eyes, as he stood before Hojo in the most terrifying state cloud had ever seen him.

"You really should lower your sword, General..." Hojo smirked.

"How dare you!!! You filthy piece of scum!" Sephiroth bellowed, as the surrounding Turk member's eyes widened further, all apparently too fearful to move, "Without my approval?! No authorisation required?!"

Zack ran forward and grabbed Sephiroth's arm, as Cloud rushed forward also.

"Put down the sword, Seph!" Zack cried, almost frantically, as the General shook, apparently involuntary. Cloud then became aware of the professor's attention being focused on him.

"And here he is, Sephiroth, you've trained him well!" Hojo chuckled, as Sephiroth made to attack the professor.

"General?!" Cloud cried, utterly confused by the entire situation, as the General froze in mid attack, slowly lowering his weapon.

"Mister Strife, i presume?" Hojo called out cheerily, as Cloud turned to face him, "I'm professor Hojo, as you probably already know..."

Cloud nodded, as Zack talked quietly to the General, who's head was focused on the ground at his feet, clearly trying to gain some composure. Cloud tensed, as Sephiroth raised his blade once more, before placing his blade in the sheath upon his back, raising his head to once again face the professor. His eyes still blazed with Mako, but they were starting to fade into the mist.

"I hear you are responsible for this?" He smiled again, gesturing at the serpent still coiled at the side of the road.

"Yes sir..." cloud replied.

"He's a scientist, not a superior officer..." Sephiroth spat, "Don't give him so much credit..."

Cloud stood, not sure whether he should move or anything. He didn't feel safe, and jumped as Tseng's hand suddenly rested on the small of his back. He felt the turk's breath on his cheek as he leant forward to whisper in his ear.

"Be very, very careful with Hojo... he was just talking about you..." Tseng said so softly Cloud almost missed it, "Stick as close as you can to the General whilst Hojo is around, and under no circumstances do you go off alone with him..."

"But why?" Cloud asked just as softly.

"The General will tell Zachary later. No doubt he will tell you..." Tseng said a little bitterly, "But the main thing is, you do not be left alone in any situation with him. He has motives which none of us here are happy with in the slightest. We're looking out for you Cloud, remember that..."

Cloud nodded, as Hojo seemed to almost survey him.

"I presume that the General is also in your ears as much as the Turk's are, Cloud?" Hojo almost scowled. Cloud looked for guidance from the General, but found the emerald green burning intensely in the professor's direction, never once moving from him. Cloud watched a team of presumably lab assistants load the serpent's head into a basket of some sort. They then began to pour a liquid on the beast, disintegrating it before Cloud's eyes. As it did so, it let off a thick bluish grey smoke, even in the rain, and the smell was awful. Hojo then took several steps toward Cloud before Sephiroth withdrew his sword quicker then Cloud could comprehend and held it across, as somewhat of a barrier against the professor. The mako began to fire up again, as the General remained silent, eyes still transfixed on the professor. Hojo eyed off Sephiroth, amusement in his eyes.

"You may once again lower your sword, Seph..."

"Not a step closer," Sephiroth said sharply, "You have what you want, you may leave."

"Oh, but, there are a few other things i simply must delve into! Surely the subject has been trained well, even if it was by you, Sephiroth..." Hojo grinned wickedly, and the sight made Cloud's blood run cold.

"From what I've seen today..." Hojo smirked, "The boy may prove useful to me. Heck, it might even end up worth something!"

Cloud felt his own eyes begin to green, and struggled with his urge to draw his own weapon.

"SOLDIER, I suggest you get into the truck..." The General said quietly, finally turning to face Cloud, eyes slightly dimming as he did so, "Commander, Lieutenant, please escort him..."

Tseng and Zack nodded curtly, clearly following orders, as any disobeying would be an unwise move. Cloud shook his head a little, and the General seemed surprised at this lack of obeyment.

"Cloud... that was a direct order..." the General said warningly.

"Can't even control your little puppets anymore?" Hojo snickered, as Sephiroth's eyes flashed brightly, "Not even one such as this?"

Hojo had gestured at Cloud with a disapproving look on his face, as if Cloud was something nasty Hojo might find on the bottom of his shoe. It was all the blonde needed, as he turned to face Hojo and his eyes flared brightly.

"I have a name, PROFESSOR, and I doubt that your high opinion of yourself would have been able to kill that serpent!" Cloud snapped, as even the General's eyes widened a little in shock, "So as far as you go, I'd think that my talent surpasses yours a little. I can do much more then fight, but can you do more then brag?"

Upon hearing the last statement Cloud had said, Hojo had made a hand gesture to his men, who now held weapons shakily at the young blonde. Hojo looked venomous. It was clear something Cloud had said had pushed his buttons, and now, he was being threatened by several members of Shinra Second Class. They were very reluctant to do so, many of them looking towards their General, who was flared up to a high level, and glowering at his SOLDIERs.

"Lower your weapons..." Sephiroth had said quietly, turning the masamune with blinding speed to the SOLDIERs. Many instantly complied and withdrew to stand behind Hojo, but several remained focused on Cloud though, with Hojo's own fierce glare upon them.

"Lower your weapons, SOLDIERs..." Sephiroth repeated, dangerously low and menacing, moving the seven foot sword just enough so that there was no longer a single weapon aimed in Cloud's direction.

"You're all pathetic!" Hojo spat, heading over to the army helicopter and boarding it, without a second glance behind him. A few SOLDIERs remained where they were, nervously facing their General, as he stood coldly before them.

"You are dismissed... There was a clash of power in Hojo's mind today, SOLDIERs," Sephiroth warned, "But you are not to forget where your loyalties lie."

With that he turned to face Cloud again, eyes still cold.

"All of you, in the truck..." he said shortly, before rounding the corner and boarding the truck himself. Zack simply stood and stared, gaping at Cloud, before shrugging and following the General. As Reno and Rude passed, they simply smiled at Cloud, and nodded their heads in approval, whilst Tseng once again placed his hand on Cloud's back and guided him to the truck.

"Once again, you have impressed me, Cloud..." he laughed a little, as Cloud swung himself up onto the truck in a fluid movement and took his spot between the General and Lieutenant, a smile tugging at his lips.

Sephiroth rapped sharply on the truck side and struggled not to break into a smile. He could hear Cloud breathing sharply next to him, the adrenaline fuelled mako still coursing through his veins, his blue eyes full of green shine.

"I'm sorry, sir..." Cloud said quietly, as the others broke into conversation. It took a second for the General to realise what Cloud was apologising for, and realised he should be taking action.

"You disobeyed a direct order, SOLDIER..." the General said quietly, "It's a dischargeable offence in situations like what we just experienced..."

He felt Cloud tense, and his breathing increased.

"Cloud... I'm not going to discharge you..." the General smiled slightly, and Cloud sighed. The boy couldn't help it, after all. He'd been taking a beating from Hojo, and if Zack hadn't have spoken to Sephiroth, he himself may very well have killed the professor on the spot.

Zack had grabbed his arm, and whilst Hojo was focused on Cloud, he'd pointed out the fact that Cloud may not have wanted to see Sephiroth kill a Shinra official, and it may even change the SOLDIERs outlook on right and wrong.

"Do you want him to join the Turks?!"Zack had hissed, and Sephiroth shook his head slightly.

_"_Then control yourself... zone out... do whatever you need to... Think of something, that... God forbid! Something that makes you happy!" Zack had sighed, and Sephiroth had done just that. He had not been surprised at all to find himself thinking of the little blonde beside him, and had managed to get his mako to a sustainable level. Then Hojo had made to approach Cloud, and he had greened up again. Hojo wanted Cloud as his latest pet. He wanted to do to Cloud what he had done to Sephiroth so long ago. He'd seen potential in the blonde, and had wanted to use that for his research, with the main goal of breeding more fighters like Sephiroth. With that thought still ringing through his head, as soon as Hojo moved towards Cloud, Sephiroth had reacted. It took all the power he had not to kill Hojo then and there. He may very well have, had he not turned to see Cloud greening up of his own accord. Cloud could not afford to make stupid decisions, where the General could. As he locked onto the baby blues, which had become surrounded by an intense green glow, Sephiroth had calmed himself, knowing full well that Cloud's welfare was more important then his own anger. Then... Cloud had done the unthinkable. He had disobeyed an order, not only from a superior officer, but the General of the entire Shinra Army. Sephiroth was debating any punishment at all, as he stood back in a stunned silence and observed Cloud's verbal attack on the professor. He had never been prouder of the SOLDIER as he had in that moment, and almost too quickly, that feeling was replaced with an intense anger. His instinct to protect Cloud had him nearly kill several of his SOLDIER second classes. His future comrades. Hojo had tried turning them against eachother, and more importantly, had tried to harm Cloud. The little blonde had proved him very right when the general had told him he could feel more emotion then Cloud realised.

"... and drawing weapons on a SOLDIER... what the hell were they thinking?!" He heard Zack cry out in anger and shock. Tseng nodded in reply, and Cloud shrugged a little.

"...I'm alright though..." Cloud said quietly.

"That's not the point, SOLDIER..." Sephiroth said suddenly as the others startled a little, "Hojo is nothing more then a scientist hired by the company. He has no right to order around SOLDIER second class in threat missions, and the president will hear of it..."

"The president?" Zack gaped, as Cloud mimed the expression. Tseng nodded curtly, apparently in agreeance with the notion.

"Cloud's life was put in unnecessary danger today. There is a certain amount of danger in every mission, but no man is expected to be placed in danger by his comrades..."Tseng said slowly, apparently disgusted. Sephiroth had the same vile feeling in his stomach. Hojo seemed to search for methods of stooping lower then he already was. Sephiroth fell quiet again through the subjects which followed, unrelated to anything that particularly interested him much. He sat, stretching his legs forward, arms crossed across his chest, uncomfortable with the tiny space any of them had in the back of the tiny truck. He glanced around to see that the others had their arms crossed too, now having to share some of the space with supplies that had been dropped off by Hojo, and apparently loaded by the driver. The blonde beside him gave him very little space to move, and found the pressure of Cloud pressed into his side was not entirely uncomfortable... Cloud too, remained silent, until he felt the sapphire blue studying his face.

"General...?" Cloud said quietly, once again speaking so softly that no one other then Sephiroth could possibly hear him over the atmospheric noise.

"Yes, Cloud?" Sephiroth replied just as quietly.

"Hojo... What did he want with me?"

"Hojo... is... I don't really know how to put it..." Sephiroth scowled.

"Hojo's a prick..." Cloud replied calmly, a faint blush in his cheeks.

"Are you alright Cloud?" Tseng suddenly asked, as the little blonde nodded, "You look very hot..."

"I'm fine, Sir. Just a little embarrassed..." He said timidly, and Sephiroth let out a small snort. The others turned to him in a somewhat shocked state at the uncharacteristic sound from the World's most powerful fighter. He hadn't even meant for it to happen, it's just that Cloud had been

_...cute...I do __**not **__fall for cute... _

The general paused, realising the group was still awaiting an explanation.

_...Do I?_

"Cloud thought that he would be judged by voicing his opinion, that is all..." Sephiroth smirked, as Cloud blushed a deeper red, "Even if it was most blatantly obvious how much of a prick Hojo is."

As the others gave a out a small round of laughter, Cloud slid a little further down in his seat. It was then that Sephiroth took in how young Cloud really was. His mind was so much more advanced then any of the others in his age group, and yet he was still so young. He was a little uneased by the thought, but even moreso as he realised how very little that fact had bothered him. Cloud had been an adult in Sephiroth's eyes from the very first time he'd met the blonde.

"..I heard that he's experimented on people before..." Reno said in disgust, as Sephiroth zoned back into the conversation, shuddering at the topic change.

"People? Would he really do that?" Cloud gaped in horror, and Reno leant forward a little.

"Apparently he wants a race of super fighters... something the president's after too..." Reno replied, seemingly shocked by his own information. Sephiroth held back his immediate repsonses to this.

_...Of course he would, he's a monster... like any immoral acts would bother him..._

"Reno is it necessary to gossip? However foul the person under attack may be?" Tseng frowned a little, and Reno sighed.

"Tseng, sir..." Cloud said almost timidly, "Do you believe it though?"

Sephiroth watched Tseng pause at this question, and flick eyes over to the General. The Turk commander's were well known for finding out business within the company which they were not necessarily entitled too. It may have been confidential to them, but they always found a way to get their hands on it. Such breaches of privacy often resulted in a benefit to the company. The more the Turks were in the know, the better they could do their jobs.

_...You know, don't you Tseng? You know what he did to me... _

Sephiroth continued to watch the chocolate brown, as they turned back to face the horrified blonde.

"It is best not to underestimate the professor, SOLDIER..." Tesng sighed, "Although i suppose it is possible..."

"Well then he really is a sick bastard..." Cloud scowled, "How could he treat anybody like that? It's not right... And what about the people he does it to? Bastard!"

"Calm yourself down Spikey!" Zack laughed, ruffling the blonde's hair, as Cloud gave off a small laugh, "You don't wanna be all ruffled when we get to Kalm, do you?"

Cloud shook his head, before shrugging and sighing deeply.

"It's just... that gets me really angry. I mean, human beings?" Cloud asked, in disgust, as Sephiroth felt softened by the SOLDIER's sympathy and kindness.

"It is very wrong, yes, SOLDIER..." Sephiroth said quietly, and Cloud nodded, as Reno changed the topic once again to a girl who worked in the Shinra offices. Tseng immediately perked up at this topic, saying he saw the girl as his sister, and as far as he was concerned, she was off limits to any of his men. Reno scowled at this, and fought his case, as Zack giggled hysterically at the small bickering that ensued. Cloud once again took this opportunity to speak to the General, as he leant closer against him.

"General... you don't like the labs either do you?" he asked quietly, and Sephiroth shook his head slowly.

"How did you know?" He asked the pale blonde, as he rested against his shoulder.

"You're all... tense..." Cloud said drowsily, before becoming silent.

"Cloud?" The general questioned, as Tseng looked over with a trace of bitterness marring his face. Sephiroth shook the blonde gently, and got no response.

"Passed out?" Tseng asked curiously, and the General couldn't help smile a little.

"Either that or exhausted..." Sephiroth smirked, as he made to move the blonde.

"Leave him be, Seph..." Zack smiled softly as he watched the blonde, "He's doing no harm."

The little blonde head let out a sudden snore, and there was a round of snickers from the Turks. Zack giggled to himself too, but Tseng remained stony face. Zack seemed to also pick up on this fact, as he turned to Tseng.

"He looks peaceful, hey commander?" Zack smiled, and Tseng nodded, turning to face Cloud, his features softening as he did so.

"We're getting to the drop off point, Sir...s..." Mark called from the front, as Sephiroth nodded.

"Thank you SOLDIER..." Tseng called flatly, turning to face Zack and the others, "this is where the most sightings have been. It's forested mainly, so once we're done, we'll have to remove the trees. There can't be any more cover then necessary." The others nodded, as the truck started slowing to a stop. Sephiroth made to stand abruptly, but faltered, as he remembered the blonde upon his shoulder, who then slung an arm around him and clung to the General's outfit. Rude supressed his laughter, whilst Reno and Zack weren't able to.

"Take a picture! Take a picture!!" Reno hooted, as Zack took out his cell phone.

"Smile, Sephiroony!" Zack snorted, as the General gave Zack his best death glare, "...and... perfect!"

Zack then proceeded to show Reno the photograph, which brought more cackles of laughter from the pair, and even a chuckle from Rude. Tseng however, was not so amused.

"We're on a mission here, Turks..." he said quietly, as the other two supressed their laughter further, cheeks turning pink. Zack nodded, and let himself be the first off the back of the truck. Tseng followed suit, as did the others. Sephiroth looked awkwardly at Zack, who now stood casually by the truck, waiting for the General.

"Be gentle..." he winked, as Sephiroth shook the little blonde's shoulder's.

"I'll just be a minute..." The General sighed, rolling his eyes, as Zack shrugged and immediately got his lieutenant voice on, "Alright! Let's get started on this, shall we?!"

They all then cleared from the back of the truck and walked out of sight, leaving the General with Cloud rested lightly upon his shoulder, arm across his chest. The General smiled gently, as the blonde nuzzled his shoulder and couldn't help but think that this feeling, Cloud draped over him, wasn't such a bad thing. He shook his head, willing the thoughts away. He watched the little blonde for a moment, as he breathed deeply, before shaking him a little again. He froze mid-shake as he heard Cloud sleep talking.

"...hrmmm... Sephi...roth..." the little blonde murmured, a small smile edging across his face. Sephiroth felt his cheeks burn at the mention of his name, and had to restrain himself from reaching and stroking the flushed cheek as it rested upon him.

_... I can't have... __**feelings**__ for the boy... It's just not... It's..._

"Cloud? Wake up, Cloud..." Sephiroth murmured in reply, his voice a little drier then usual, control seemingly lost.

Cloud was vaguely aware of moving. It was as if someone was shaking his shoulder. As he woke up a little more, he became aware that this was in fact the case.

"Cloud..." a soft voice drifted through his ears. The sound was calming, familiar, and Cloud yawned a little, trying hard to gain focus.

"Cloud, we're at the mid point..." the voice sounded again, "We'll have to get off..."

cloud stretched his legs a little. Where was he again? He could remember getting on the truck with the General and Zack and...

_...THE GENERAL?!?..._

Cloud's eyes snapped open as recognition of the familiar voice flooded through him, and he looked up to lock eyes with emerald green once again. He sat bolt upright, suddenly more awake then he had been in a long time.

"Sir!" Cloud gasped, managing a small salute, as Sephiroth let out a small laugh, smile spreading across his face.

_...He laughed... I'm not going to die... Thank the lord..._

"I trust you slept well, SOLDIER?" Sephiroth smirked, and Cloud felt his cheeks burn, "You seemed rather comfortable..."

Cloud tried to recall his dream before he was woken up. It was warm and inviting, and involved the same emerald green watching him intently now.

"I was, General, Sir..." Cloud blushed furiously, "I apologise for falling asleep on you, sir..."

The General gave a short nod, before standing up to his full height and extending a hand for Cloud to take. Cloud looked at it hesitantly, before taking it in his hand, and being hoisted up.

"Are you ready to fight again, Cloud?" the General asked, hand lingering for a few moments, eyes glowing eerily once again.

"Uh... yes... Sir..." Cloud nodded, as the General slowly, almost reluctantly, pulled his hand away.

"Very well. Come..." he smiled again, leaping off the back of the truck. Cloud attempted the jump, and was able to land somewhat gracefully.

"Congratulations Cloud..." The General held back a smile, "You've passed SOLDIER Truck disembarkment 1-0-1..."

Cloud burned of embarrassment, before the General chuckled a little. His face was carefree, and Cloud couldn't help but notice that it looked **good**. The emerald green were swirling mystically again, and the shadows were ebbing away from the General's face. Cloud could see that this was the side of Sephiroth that rarely broke through, and he felt privileged at being able to witness it. Not only that, but he felt overwhelmed at the response that Sephiroth was allowing him to. They walked around the truck to find the group waiting for them, Zack dishing out orders in true Lieutenant style, before the group turned to face them, all eyes flicking to the general and his laid back attitude. Under the eyes of an audience, Sephiroth seemed to flick a switch in his mind, as the shadows flooded back, and the eyes became blank and void. The slight smile which had been shying across his face was gone. He was once again the General.

"I'm sure, or at least hoping, that the turks have come as fully prepared as we are?" The General queried in the Commander's direction. Tseng gave a nod, studying Sephiroth for a moment, before the General turned to Cloud and Zack.

"We have been given materia, as have the turks, but I do not want you to use it unless it is vital..." He said flatly, as Cloud nodded, "I'm sure you both can fight with pure force. Mark!"

The bark of the General had woken the driver of the truck with a start, who had been napping casually against the door. He leapt into a salute and stood at attention.

"You may use materia, if you wish to do so, although i will provide you with no more then five orbs. Choose wisely..." Sephiroth said warningly, before rounding on the turks once more, and giving instructions of the enemy skill materia which he now handed to them.

"I don't think a single one of us didn't see that..." Zack said quietly, not making eye contact with Cloud, "Even if it was just brief..."

"Saw what?" Cloud asked blankly, as Zack smirked.

"The General, when you both came around the corner just then..." Zack sighed, a grin spreading across his face, "It was as if he was one of the boys..."

cloud nodded, showing understanding, but trying to hide his confusion as to why Zack found this so amusing.

"Whatever you do to him, spike, Keep doing it..." Zack winked, "The ice is breaking just a little."

"Lieutenant?" Sephirth questioned, turning to face him, startling both blue eyed SOLDIERs, "I need to discuss a particular issue with the party at present before we can go further... In private if you may?"

Zack nodded, saluting Sephiroth, both men picking up their serious business attitudes, whilst strolling a large enough distance away so as not to be heard. Tseng casually sidled over to Cloud, forcing the blonde to meet his eyes. The chocolate brown was once again burning imprints on Cloud's skin, but with a different emotion hazing them.

"Yes, sir?" cloud asked wearily, and Tseng smiled gently.

"Do i intimidate you Cloud?" Tseng asked, and cloud shook his head.

"It's just that... I was wondering if you were alright?" Cloud covered quickly, and Tseng nodded slowly, eyes never leaving Cloud's.

"I was just questioning something, cloud..." Tseng asked dryly, "Why is it that the General has selected you, from all his recruits, to attend this mission?"

Cloud's mind ground to a halt. This was a perfectly good question, why did he have no answer?

_...Am i stronger then the others? Certainly not taller... Does Sephiroth see some kind of potential in me that I can't?_

Tseng stepped forawrd, even closer and studied Cloud intently.

"Is there perhaps... a kind of... relationship here?" Tseng asked awkwardly, eyes still burning, as Cloud's cheeks began to do the same.

_... relationship? Is there? i mean, beyond the whole friendship thing... no... well maybe... but the thing is..._

"No commander. Nothing of the sort..." Cloud said firmly, as Tseng's tension seemed to ease from him, his eyes dulling, and his smile widening, before he placed his hand gently on Cloud's lower back once again.

"Just making sure..." He said quietly, before snapping around to face his two men, "Where are your weapons?"

Reno and rude jumped slightly, eyes wide in surprise.

"Uh, they're on..."

"Get them now then. Are you waiting to be attacked before you're armed?" Tseng interrupted, as Rude blushed a shade to rival his partner's hair colour.

"i'll get them now, comm..."

"Make sure you do." Tseng had suddenly become the authorative figure he seemed born to be. Cloud had not seen such a rapid swing of emotion in any other then the General. Rude and Reno scurried to the truck to retrieve their weapons, before tseng turned back to Cloud. He looked the blonde over and nodded.

"Prepared, as is per usual I presume..." The commander smiled warmly, and Cloud nodded, eyes catching on the beautiful teeth shining at him, and the olive skin accompanying the rich brown eyes and matching hair. Cloud inwardly cursed himself, as Tseng's eyes flashed. It was clear that the commander had seen Cloud appreciating him.

_...Great, add more fuel to the fire, Cloud..._

"Now we wait on the precious General and Lieutenant Zack..." Tseng smiled, before turning to face Sephiroth somewhat bitterly, as Cloud fought back the urge to sigh.

Once Zack and the General had gotten out of earshot, the General had eased himself, as had Zack, as they stopped to talk.

"Lieutenant... Zack..." Sephiroth paused, as Zack gave a nod, "Am i being overly paranoid when I say that I believe... I think Tseng..."

"... Has more then the suspected intentions with our blonde friend?" Zack offered, and Sephiroth bit back on the anger that flooded through him.

_...So I'm right then..._

"Yes..." the General said coolly.

"You're not being paranoid..." Zack sighed, "But I didn't want to say anything. He's already been making advances on the poor kid."

Zack took a few steps away, and Sephiroth realised he must have been beginning to green up in his anger.

_...Why am I angry? There's no need to be..._

He breathed deeply and calmed himself, as he recognised a familiar smirk creeping across Zack's features.

"Yes lieutenant?" Sephiroth scowled.

"I'm just happy Hojo is wrong..." Zack smiled gently, as Sephiroth watched blankly. Zack shook his head slightly.

"He always said you could never feel empathetic or possesive emotion..." Zack smirked a little, "And I'm pretty sure that includes jealousy..."

"I'm not jealous, Zack..." _...Am I?... _"Simply aware that if Cloud is manipulated by the Turks" _... I'll lose him... _"...SOLDIER might lose him."

"he apparently brushed the hair off of Cloud's cheek, and his eyes were more then suggestive..." Zack shrugged, "but I guess it's not important."

Sephiroth threw a glance to where the boy was standing with the commander, as Tseng closed the gap between the two and placed his hand upon Cloud's back, intently watching the blonde. He felt his eyes green up once again, as an intense heat burnt through him. He could feel Zack's piercing gaze, and refused to meet his eyes. He instead chose to watch Tseng, as he then headed for his own team members.

"...It's more of a protective feeling Zack..." Sephiroth said quietly, "And it is because he is one of my men."

"Oh shut up, will you?" Zack groaned, "You two are as bad as eachother..."

Sephiroth shook his head, watching Tseng turn to face him. The same emotion burning in his own mind was reflected from Tseng's. This mission would be trying.

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So, part one of part three. hehehe. Here we go!! -grins-


	4. Mission Pt 2

Part two of Part three!!! heheheh. So confusing, I'm sorry. lol.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Right!" Zack grinned cheerfully, hand absent-mindedly clutching at his buster sword, "I'll take Reno and Mark, we'll take the right side of the forest from the outskirts to the clearing there..."

Zack leaned over the General, and the piece of paper he was clutching, and pointed at a spot which Cloud could only guess was the clearing.

"I'll take Cloud to the right side of the clearing then..." Tseng said thoughtfully, "Rude would probably need a brush up from the General on materia techniques, am I correct?"

Sephiroth studied Tseng for some time, neither moving eyes from the other, before Sephiroth turned his full attention to Rude, who's olive skin now had a pink tinge to it.

"Yes... Rude and I shall work from the bottom up, cutting through to the clearance. We will most likely reach the clearance before your other parties, even though your areas are thinner in coverage, and provide less shelter for the creatures, you have a furhter distance to travel. After Rude and myself have reached the clearing, we'll continue on upwards until we reach the northern outskirts..." The General said firmly, "We will then return to the clearing where you should all be waiting. Understood?"

There was a chorus of 'Yes, sir' and a round of nods, before each team split up and edged into the forest.

"Your eyes and ears may not be as alert as mine have been trained to be Cloud, but i want you to keep your guard up anyway..." Tseng said smoothly, pushing Cloud a little quicker into the growth.

"Yes Sir..." Cloud nodded, before sudden thought struck him, "But what weapon shall you be using, commander?"

Tseng simply smiled and held up his hands. They were gloved, with materia orbs equipped.

"I prefer close combat, and will resort to magic if necessary. I also rely heavily on stealth and speed..." Tseng smiled, still giving a sideward look to Cloud. Cloud had an inkling that Tseng would be an impressive sight in battle, and felt the hair on the back of his neck prickle. It seemed as if it would not be to long until he was able to see.

"Commander..."

"Yes Cloud, I know..." Tseng said calmly, eyes scanning the surrounding area. The silence was eerie. All the chatter of wildlife, the birds and squirrels had ceased, and there was nothing but a cold chill through the air. Cloud withdrew the buster sword, as Tseng adjusted his gloves, and smirked.

"It's behind that tree to your left Cloud..." Tseng smiled, although his back was now pressed against Cloud's, "And another, to your right..."

Cloud strained his eyes, and saw a faint shine of yellow gleaming from behind the bushes.

"Cloud..." Tseng's voice faltered, "They know we're on to them..."

"How can they..."

"I don't know, but you take your right, I'll take your left..." Tseng replied a little shakily. If these were enough to bring Tseng to a mild panic, Cloud was horrified at what they could do to him.

"are you ready?" Tseng asked cautiously, and Cloud nodded.

_...READY?!? HOW CAN I BE READY?!?!_

"Yes sir, I'm ready..." Cloud swallowed hard and focused the mako which was now beginning to course through his veins. there was a pause, where Cloud watched the yellow shine, and move slightly in the shadows.

"Now!" Tseng cried, leaping to the left and blasting a shot of fire, removing the foliage around the beast. Cloud slashed through the branches with all the force he could muster, and was surprised to find he had already caught flesh. there was a high pitched cry, and cloud could not be sure whether it came from his own mouth or from the calamity that cloud had discovered. His heart caught in his throat, as he spied the beast, a humanoid form, but far from anything cloud had ever witnessed. It was a pale blue in colour, with blood vessels plainly seen through slimed skin. Tendrils branched from the beast's head, as a forked tongue flicked out to taste the air. claws were extended from curled fingers, and the creature was hunched over, as if ready to pounce. There was a gaping hole in the middle of the creature's face, as Cloud recoiled.

_... It hasn't got a freaking nose!!!_

The beast let out what may have been a snarl, and lunged for Cloud, clutching at the buster. Cloud froze momentarily, as yellow eyes drew nearer to his.

"Cloud! Attack the fucking thing!" Tseng called out from a distance, drawing Cloud to his senses. Cloud pushed forward, and the beast moved enough for it to lose attention, as Cloud twisted the blade of his sword suddenly, as he heard it slice through skin and hit bone. the beast cried, letting the sword go, as Cloud dropped to the ground and swept his legs out, taking the creature off of it's feet. It hit the ground, and almost immediately rolled into an upright position once more. Cloud felt as if the world slowed around him, as he saw the beast lunge again, before he slashed it through it's abdomen, before lunging and piercing it through the chest. It hit the ground and writhed, screeching in a horrible high pitched noise, before Cloud promptly sliced it's vocal chords. It lay, shuddering, before drawing a last rattled breath and slipping into the lifestream. He watched it, the closest creature to human that he had killed, and something was forever to be buried in his chest, he just knew it. He was brought back to reality by another high pitched shriek, and turned to face Tseng, who was in close combat mode with his own beat. Cloud had been right about tseng being an impressive fighter. He was invredibly graceful, leveraging himself on the beasts own body, before dealing kicks to the chest, several in apparent mid-air, as the beast fell, disorientated. Tseng reached down and swiftly turned the beast's head, as Cloud heard the sickening breaking of neck bone. The beast also writhed beneath the turk, as he rose, calm and collected, far apart from what cloud had been feeling. He turned to face Cloud, who had blood across his uniform, and smirked at the beast which lay just past him.

"You did very well Cloud. I managed to see you briefly before..." Tseng nodded in approval, "You impress me moreso within each battle."

"thank you, Sir..." Cloud replied quietly, still registering the thoughts of what he'd done, turning and drawing his eyes to his victim. The snake had been an easy kill. Ever since he'd been a young boy back at Nibelheim, he'd hated snakes, and decapitated many throughout his childhood. Snakes were vermin, creepy, scaly, animals. What he'd just killed had been almost human. It had cried out in pain, held his blade, locked eyes with his own, and had bled as Cloud had done before. It writhed, with arms, and legs, before it's life had ended. It's face had screwed up in the agony of death, and Cloud had that image burnt into his brain. Tseng reached out and gently placed a hand on Cloud's shoulder.

"They're almost human, I know..." Tseng sighed, looking down at the beast before Cloud, "And that was your first kill of that sort... If you join SOLDIER, there will be many more to come..."

"And if I join the Turks?" Cloud asked, locking eyes with the Commander. Cloud saw the opportunity flash through Tseng's eyes before he even spoke.

"Well, we're moreso of a recruitment agency then..."

"Don't lie to me..." cloud scowled bitterly, and Tseng placed his arm around cloud's shoulder apologetically.

"... There would be more then SOLDIER..." Tseng sighed, "If not, then they would be more brutal..."

Cloud nodded, accepting the answer he half expected.

_...If I'm going to be killing and maiming, I know what choice I will make, hands down... and i know who I will want to fight with..._

"Commander..." Cloud began, but he stopped, pushing Tseng off of him and raising his sword, as a beast leapt from the shadows. He had seen the faintest glow of yellow flash through his eyes, before the beast had been upon him. It was more dog like, this creature, but it was deformed beyond any canine.

_...at least it's got a nose..._

It lunged at Cloud, fangs barred, and Cloud swung to slash the beast, but it changed direction in mid air, and instead latched onto Cloud's arm. Cloud let out a cry of pain, as Tseng leapt on top of the beast and pulled open it's jaws, dragging it to the ground. Pain was searing through Cloud's arm, as he briefly assessed the puncture wounds down his right arm. The wound was bleeding, but at a slow rate. Cloud pulled himself back to his feet, and launched himself at the beast, who was beginning to overpower Tseng. Pushing forward, flat side of the blade facing the beast, Cloud pushed it from atop Tseng, and dive rolled to return to his standing position, as the beast landed awkwardly, and the sound of snapping bone resounded.

_...The damned animal broke it's own leg..._

Cloud raised his sword in the air and brought it down across the beast, killing it quickly and effortlessly. Cloud felt the sear of pain through his arm again, but pushed the pain behind him. They needed to reach that clearing too much for him to stop now.

"urgh..." A groan came from behind Cloud, as he became abruptly aware of the fact Tseng had not gotten up yet. He ran to the place on the ground where the commander lay and dropped beside him.

"Tseng?!" Cloud cried, when he saw the bite marks along the Turk's chest and sides. Tseng smiled, and let out a long sigh. Cloud reached into the bag that Tseng had been keeping by his side, and found a restore materia orb. He equipped it and cast a cure3, draining all of his MP, and healing Tseng to almost full health, although it was clear the Commander had lost a lot of blood and was weak.

"Cloud, thank you..." Tseng smiled, before his eyes widened upon inspection of Cloud's arm, "Cloud!!"

"It's nothing really, Commander..." cloud smiled. It was the truth really, Cloud didn't feel as if it was that bad, the Commander had seemed far worse.

"Heal... yourself!" Tseng cried, but Cloud shook his head, showing Tseng the small sparks coming out of the materia orb.

"No MP..." He shrugged, as Tseng dived into his bag, "And you don't have an ether, either. You gave it to Reno, remember?"

Tseng made to stand up, before cloud held out a hand and pulled him upright.

"Shit... I'm low on MP too, and I need it for attack... these beasts are stronger then I imagined..." Tseng sighed, before grabbing onto cloud's shoulder, "Hey Cloud, thanks for that..."

Cloud shrugged, dismissing the notion, and searching the scrub for beasts. Tseng resorted to picking up a large stick, and smiled at Cloud.

"I'm also pretty good with a staff if need be, and it looks like it may be time to use one..." He explained, and cloud nodded approval, as his ears picked up the sound of a distant cry of pain. Tseng froze in his tracks, his face paling.

"...Reno..." He gasped, "We have to make it to that clearing, Cloud..."

Cloud nodded, with renewed ambition. It took well over half an hour to make it to the clearing, as they encountered six more of the creatures, varying in appearance from humanoid to catlike. Tseng had collapsed after the last battle, and had regained consciousness, but was walking at a painstakingly slow pace, exhausted from the battles. Cloud realised that Tseng was probably not used to battling more then the one battle within a few hours. Turks were trained and raised to be stealth fighters, interrogators, quick, murderous, deadly, but not full of the stamina that SOLDIERs had. Cloud's wound was bleeding still, even after he had wrapped a bandage from tseng's pack around it. it had bled through the dressing and the lack of blood was beginning to make Cloud woozy. He expected he would not have made it this far without the mako in his bloodstream. When they had reached the clearance, they had found a few large boulders, which Cloud had stumbled towards and abruptly collapsed onto.

They'd not been the easiest enemy that the General had faced. They seemed to be nothing but raw mako attached to a skeletal form. Sephiroth bit back his rage at the thought of what caused such creations, and instead chose to release that fury onto the creatures. Rude had so far been more of an escort then a partner, casting only a few fire spells, which had only seemed to knock down the beasts long enough for Sephiroth to plan his moves.

_...I guess that means he's somewhat of a useful team member..._

They had heard Reno cry out in pain before, and Sephiroth felt his blood run cooler. Even with Zack's capable hands, Sephiroth could not help but fear the news of Reno's welfare.

"We're coming up to the clearing, Rude..." The General said smoothly, as the Turk simply nodded. Sephiroth's mind flitted to the thought of Cloud, and hoped to god that Tseng had been selfless enough to take care of the boy. He had a vivid picture of Cloud lying in the bushes somewhere with his eyes open in a final moment of life, a pool of blood surrounding him. He stopped in his tracks as his heart caught in his throat, and Rude walked right into the back of him.

"Sorry... sir..." Rude mumbled, clearly wanting the day to be over. Sephiroth nodded, pushing his thoughts from his mind, as he walked toward the clearing. Blood rushed past his ears as the scene sunk in. Tseng and Cloud had somehow reached the clearing first. Tseng was knelt beside a crumpled Cloud, clearly distressed, and visibly weakening himself. As Sephiroth's mind began to register the scene, Tseng fell on top of Cloud, apparently unconscious. Rude rushed forward, as did the General.

"Tseng! Sir!" rude cried, leaning beside the Commander, and reaching into his own pack of supplies. Sephiroth knelt by Cloud and took his arm. He had put up one hell of a fight with whatever they had faced. It had already succumbed to mild infection, and there had been a major loss of blood.

_...Damn it Tseng! Why couldn't you have looked after him?!_

He placed his fingers against Cloud's neck and breathed a sigh of relief when he felt the soft flutter of a pulse. He then Cupped the back of Cloud's neck and pulled his head gently upwards, pulling an x-potion from his bag and pouring it down the blonde's throat. He held Cloud's nose, and the blonde instinctively swalloed the liquid, remaining unconscious. Sephiroth held the spiky blonde head in his hands, his fingers lacing through the golden hair, as he gazed down at the pale, perfect cheeks and brushed the blood away from them, a new pain echoing through his core.

_...Cloud... What happened..._

"...Cloud... heal... him..." Sephiroth heard the rasping voice of the Commander beside him.

"Tseng! You're awake!" Rude cried, relief flooding through his voice.

"Heal... Cloud..." he repeated, and Rude gave a curt nod, before Sephiroth shook his head, a dread creeping through his spine as he saw the blue tinge creeping through Cloud's blood.

"He can't be healed until we get to town..." he murmured, as Tseng clutched at the leather coat, drawing the general's attention.

"He healed... me... fix him... please..." He glowered up at Sephiroth.

"Can you not see him Tseng?!" Sephiroth cried, losing all composure, "His blood is tinted blue. His wound's become poisonous, damn it!"

Tseng's eyes widened, before his brows creased in a frown, and he dropped the coat from his fingers. He turned his face away, apparently pained.

"he's a... true SOLDIER..." Tseng rasped, "Worhty of... your praise... General..."

Rude's eyes widened as the commander closed his eyes.

"It's alright Rude... he's sleeping..." Sephiroth reassured, as the Turk let his leader back down. Sephiroth turned back to the blonde cradled in his arms, and pleaded silently.

_...At least open your eyes Cloud... open your damn eyes..._

"Cloud... Cloud, you have to wake up..." The General sighed, as the blonde lay motionless in his arms.

"Is he alright sir...?" Rude asked tentatively, as the General rose to his feet, masamune in his hand.

"Stay with him, Rude..." the General nodded curtly, and Rude gave his own nod of understanding, as the General disappeared into the thicket.

_... urgh..._

"...Cloud?"

_... SHIT!..._

"Don't try and move your arm Cloud, it's going to cause you pain."

_...Bit late, Rude... Rude?_

"Urgh... Rude?"

"Yeah Cloud, it's me..." Rude replied cautiously, as Cloud blinked several times.

_...Pain... what happened?... Sephiroth..._

"The General..."

"He's gone off to clear the rest of the forest of those things..." Rude shuddered, and Cloud struggled through the Mako haze he was in.

_...Why? Where's Zack? The Commander... THE COMMANDER!!_

_"_Tseng!!!" Cloud cried, sitting bolt upright, and regretting it almost instantly. Pain searing through his arm, and a burning sensation through his whole body, before Rude forced him back down.

"He's alright Cloud, don't move... Your blood is poisoned, and if you move, you'll hurry it along..." Rude replied shakily, "What the hell happened?"

"Where's Zack?" Cloud asked groggily, "Reno?"

rude faltered in his cool composure, his face twisting in apparent fear and pain.

"Reno... He screamed before... But we've been here for at least an hour and they haven't come back..."

_...What? Impossible... Zack would have had the situation under control... unless Zack was..._

"The General?"

"We found you here, with Tseng. He was trying to wake you, but he passed out himself. The General's gone on a rampage... I've heard the cries of the creatures since he left..." Rude said hurriedly, speaking more then Cloud had ever heard, apparently out of nervous fear.

"alright Rude, It's alright..." Cloud comforted, patting the Turk's back. They'd fallen into a mission which was way over their head, and they'd come out worst for wear.

_...If the others come out at all..._

Cloud shook the thought away and asked Rude if he had a hero's drink. the bald headed man handed a small bottle, which cloud immediately drank, the warmth and energy creeping through him instantly. He moved his arm, twisting and flexing it.

_...Doesn't feel so bad, actually... i need to get it re-dressed..._

"Bandage?" Cloud asked Rude calmly, and was met once again with the good in the bald headed man's hands. He dressed his arm and pulled himself up from the ground.

"Cloud?!?" Rude cried, "Sit back down man, do you have a death wish?!"

cloud ignored the cries of the Turk and picked up the Buster Sword and Rude's pack. He could feel the burning of the poison in his blood, and chose to burn as much of his mako as he could. He angered himself at the thought of his childhood, the treatment from the other Cadet's at base, what had happened to the creatures in this area for them to mutate, and felt his eyes beginning to green, and the mako combatting the poison.

"Stay with Tseng, I'm going to find the others..." cloud demanded, as Rude contemplated following the blonde, but chose to loyally stay by his Leader's side.

cloud began slashing through the growth, as he heard noises from the bushes surrounding him. He paused, and looked wearily in the shadows for a familiar glint of yellow. He found it, and took aim at the beast, mako so strong in his veins that his eyes glowed in the darkness, casting an eerie green glow over his hands as he held the buster in his hands. He lunged and pierced the beast's flesh instantly, twisting his blade and felling the creature in a simple movement.

"...Cloud...?" A strangled voice called, and Cloud felt his heart skip a beat as he recognised it to be Zack.

"Where are you, Zack?" Cloud called, before having a pebble lobbed at his head from his left. He looked over to find Reno and Mark trapped under a large tree, awkwardly trapping them between the earth and it's branches. Cloud headed towards them, but Zack shok his head.

"Move to the right of us... about ten metres further... Get Reno first..." Zack pleaded, "Please, make sure you get him... Cloud, he's..."

"Shhh... It's alright Zack, calm yourself down... He'll be fine..." Cloud reassured, as Zack fell back against the earth and cursed. Cloud moved in the direction he was told, before tripping over a tree root and landing on the hard ground. He turned to see a limb, rather then a tree branch, had tripped him. Reno was lying unconscious in a seeping red pool, his pale cheeks smeared with dirt and blood. His eyes were open slightly, and he was breathing deeply.

"...C... Cl..." Reno gasped, but cloud shook his head, choosing instead to reach into the pack draped over his back and pulling out a bandage and high potion, as well as another hero drink, which he himself swallowed. He rolled Reno onto his back and stifled a scream. Reno's front was badly damaged, and Cloud could see the inside of Reno's stomach from where he was. Cloud looked away, gathering his composure, before kneeling down besides the Turk and looking into the fearful eyes.

"It's alright Reno... I just got a bit shocked... i think you'll be fine..." Cloud managed a small smile, as Reno nodded as best as he could, before Cloud began wrapping the wound, and pouring the potion down Reno's throat.

"Will you be alright whilst I get the other two free?" Cloud asked, as Reno gave a faint 'mhmm', before cloud propped him against a nearby tree. Zack and Mark were smiling up at Cloud as he approached, using the buster sword to break off some of the heavier limbs of the tree, before all three managed to raise it off the pair.

Zack struggled to his feet, wobbling before falling over. Mark did much the same thing, and Cloud realised their legs may have broken.

"Thank God Rude came prepared..." Cloud sighed, drawing out two slints, "But you'll only be allowed one each..."

Mark and Zack shrugged at eachother, and helped Cloud brace their legs. Cloud could feel the mako wearing thin and knew that they did not have much time. They headed to where Reno was and Cloud stooped, slinging one of Reno's arms around his shoulder. the hi-potion had done enough that reno could now walk, if aided, but they were all still in awful shape. Cloud hoped and prayed that they would be able to make it to the clearing without being attacked, and it had paid off. Rude had stood abruptly upon seeing the party arriving, and his face had lost all colour at the site of Reno, as he rushed forward and took him from Cloud's shoulders. Zack and Mark seated themselves next to Tseng, who had now opened his eyes and smiled weakly at the group, before locking his eyes on Cloud in horror.

"...Clou...Cloud!" He gaped, as Cloud felt himself sway on the spot, "What are you... sit!"

Cloud continued to stand and sway however, as the General appeared through the forest and stopped in his tracks. Cloud turned to look at him, before Sephiroth rushed to his side. Cloud gazed up into the emerald green and smiled with a sense of relief as Sephiroth caught him, before promptly passing out.

It had to have been years. It was so warm, and he felt fully rested. It ould have been back home, in bed. This feeling hadn't come over Cloud since he'd joined the army. Then there was a dull aching pain through his arm.

_... That wasn't there in Nibelheim..._

The more he thought about it, the less like Nibelheim it seemed. Wherever he was smelt of mako, and blood. The last time he checked, Nibelheim had never smelt like that. He strained his ears and heard a low hum, and a rumbling noise echoing around his ears. It felt as if he was moving, even though he wasn't controlling it. It was dark though, he could tell that even through his eyelids, and there was something soft against his cheek. He then heard a rather loud snort, as if someone were snoring.

_...It's night time, and I'm moving, and someone else is here, but they're asleep... _

Cloud fought with the confusion fogging his brain, before wearily opening his eyes, and rolling onto his back. Emerald green locked with his eyes, as a relieved smile crossed against thin lips, before being replaced with a forced frown.

"You're an idiot, SOLDIER..." The general said quietly, as Cloud became aware of his surroundings. They were on the truck, apparently in motion once again, on the way to Kalm. The soft things that was brushing his cheek was silver in colour, and Cloud almost smirked to himself.

_... How can that be hair?... It's too... soft... _

The General continued studying him, concern marring his face.

"Hello to you too sir..." Cloud grinned up sleepily, and Sephiroth held back a matching smile. Cloud struggled around the past hours, wondering if it had been hours, or days, or not even that long at all. His arm was beginning to burn, and it was seemingly a trigger to the events that had unfurled in the Kalm forest. He sat bolt upright, as he remembered Reno's mangled body and the others all battered and harmed.

"Reno!" Cloud gasped, before Sephiroth grabbed his chest and lay him back down.

"This is why I am sitting here, Cloud..." Sephiroth smiled, seemingly amused, as Cloud struggled beneath him, "They're all ok. Not particularly good, but ok. They're all asleep too, apart from Rude and us."

"Where are they?" Cloud asked, turning to only see Tseng on the opposite bench, reclined, with a blanket draped over him.

"Reno is on the floor, it was the sturdiest place we have until we get to Kalm. Zack, Mark and Rude are up front. Rude is our driver, as Mark is not able to drive with his leg..." the General sighed, weariness radiating from him, "And he was lucky not to have been harmed..."

"What the hell happened, Sir?" Cloud scowled, "There was nothing about any of that in the briefing!! It was a suicide mission!"

Sephiroth nodded, watching Cloud, and his eyes continued to glow through the darkness, somehwat captivating Cloud.

"The fact that you all survived, even Mark, has proven a lot to me..." Sephiroth said quietly, and Cloud, looked away, angered by these words.

_...If you really cared you would show it more... _

"Yes, we're all quite capable of failing miserably, whilst someone as good as yourself comes out unscathed..." Cloud said bitterly, not realising the words flooding from his mouth until he had said it. The General's hand became a little heavier on Cloud's chest, before easing back off a little. Cloud refused to meet Sephiroth's eyes, terrified of what he might say if he did.

"What you did today was stupid Cloud..." Sephiroth said slowly, quietly, "But..."

He had stopped. Cloud waited for him to continue, but there was apparently no more to be said.

"Look at me, Cloud..." Sephiroth sighed, "Stop trying to block me out here..."

Cloud hesitantly looked up to a frowning General, who's eyes were glowing brightly, and his face was full of

_...sorrow? Regret? What is that?... _

"But what, General?" Cloud scowled, swallowing hard, still under the intense scrutiny of the general's eyes.

"But... I am very glad you did it...and..." Sephiroth paused, seeming to be forcing out his words, "You make me... proud..."

Cloud paused, letting the seriousness of the words sink in. He had never, through his whole time at SOLDIER ever known of Sephiroth being proud of someone. If he had, nobody had bragged about it to him in stories, which pretty much said that it hadn't happened at all.

"...Proud, General?" Cloud asked curiously. He knew he was pushing his luck by pressing the General's generous words, but he needed to hear all he could. Sephiroth was sitting quietly, eyes averting Cloud's gaze, as he slowly removed his hand from the blonde's chest. He was quiet, seemingly contemplating his answer.

"You fought very well today, SOLDIER... It's not hard to see how far you will advance, especially under such leadership..." He almost scowled, and Cloud frowned. It was highly unlike the General to speak of himself in such a way, let alone scowl about it. Cloud wrapped his head around the idea before finally following the General's gaze to Tseng, who was still sleeping soundly.

_...He thinks I'm joining the Turks..._

Cloud sat up, pushing the General's hand away from him almost viciously when he tried to hold him down, and locked eyes with the figure before him, confusion flitting across the emerald green. Cloud shook his head, anger burning through him, eyes starting to green up, as he glared at Sephiroth. The General's eyes widened a little, eyes beginning to swirl.

"And you have the nerve to say I'm an idiot?!" Cloud hissed, as the General flicked eyes around at the sleeping crew, looking like a wild animal trapped in a corner.

"... I'm not quite sure that i understand what..."

"No, you don't have a clue, do you?!" Cloud snapped, interrupting the General mid sentence, "You really think I would just pack up and leave?!"

The General's eyes focused intently on Cloud's eyes, as Cloud waited for the response. the General's features softened slightly, as he continued to sweep his eyes over Cloud. He could see the understanding registering through the General's face, and knew what kind of pose Cloud was in. He was pissed, offended and even hurt, and the General could tell.

"Honestly... Yes I did, Cloud..." The general replied finally, as Cloud turned away in anger.

_...You surprise me General... Someone as intelligent as yourself should not have made such a stupid judgment... I have more reason to stay then I ever will to leave..._

"You have all the right talent for an elite..." Sephiroth explained gently, trying to draw Cloud's eyes to him again, "You've got every thing the Turks go for. You fight incredibly well, you're willing to disobey orders if it's beneficial to a cause, and yet you remain completely loyal..."

"I said that stuff to Hojo because of you, sir..." Cloud interrupted, "I said it because of how he spoke to you, how he treated you. I... couldn't handle it..."

"I can fight my own battles Cloud. You nearly got yourself killed..." Sephiroth sighed, placing a hand on his shoulder and squeezing it, "But I guess I should have seen the qualities of a SOLDIER are just too strong in you against that of the Turks."

Cloud swayed a little, dizzying slightly from the pain which had apparently come from nowhere, shooting through his arm. He brushed his hand along the bandages and purposely avoided the General's eyes, as Sephiroth leant forward, removing his hand off the Blonde's shoulder and placing it on his temple, as he rested his elbows on his knees.

"It was my understanding that you somewhat fancied Tseng, also..." Sephiroth said quietly, as Cloud turned to face him. The General's eyes now turned away, purposefully avoiding Cloud's.

_...So we are... You do... We're playing it this way..._

Cloud felt his insides swell, and knew whatever he did now he was never going to regret, because it felt right. The General continued avoiding his eyes, giving a tiny, uncharacteristic shrug, and Cloud could see that Sephiroth was feeling incredibly awkward.

"Your naivety scares me..." Cloud sighed, leaning over and wrapping his arms around the General, who tensed at the initial touch. Sephiroth's breath appeared to hittch a little, as if surprised, and Cloud smiled a little, praying to God that he wasn't so stupid to misread the General's actions. He rested his head against Sephiroth's chest, before the General placed a tentative arm around the blonde's shoulder, easing Cloud into his embrace. He was so incredibly warm and gentle, as Cloud breathed him in, drowsiness sweeping over him, mingled with pain and a longing for the General's touch. Cloud held in his own surprised gasp, as the General's fingers brushed over his cheek, and he placed a single kiss on Cloud's head. His hands, although gloved, had been warm on Cloud's skin, as the General's whole body had relaxed, as he gripped Cloud closer to him. Cloud's cheeks burned as he relished in the rare affection from the usually withdrawn General.

"I scare myself more then I'd like to Cloud..." Sephiroth murmured, "Even moreso when you're around..."

Cloud sighed, closing his eyes and listening to the heart pounding against his ear, warm arms encasing him, and felt as if there was no other moment in his life that would ever match this, before drifting into sleep.

The wooden panel slid open, and Zack's spikey Black head poked through the hole, looking over at Sephiroth, Cloud almost curled into him, and grinned impishly.

"... Well if that isn't the cutest thing..." He began, but stopped short on a glare from the General. Sephiroth looked down at the blonde, who had slid out of his grip during his tossing and turning and now had his head upon Sephiroth's knee, as well as his arm slung across his lap. Sephiroth had left his arm on Cloud's side, as Zack had poked his head through, and the ever observant SOLDIER was quick to notice it, smiling warmly towards Sephiroth, like a cat full of cream.

"I really don't want to interrupt it or anything..." Zack dropped his voice so it was little more then a whisper, "But best to move him a bit, don't you think?"

Zack flicked his head minutely to gesture at the others around them, and Sephiroth nodded slowly. He'd sat in complete silence since Cloud had fallen asleep, content in watching the peached cheeks nuzzle into his chest, and later his knee, and he was terrified by the thought. He had had 'flings' in his youth, and a few even as he got older, but nothing more. He had no time to truly care about someone, and Zack had already pushed those limits. The Lieutenant was reckless, and Sephiroth spent half his time chasing after the SOLDIER and worrying about his welfare. Zack had been his only best friend through much of his career, and had wormed his way into Sephiroth's life, and the General had almost adopted him as a younger brother. Cloud was a whole new prospect for the General, so alike to Zack, but completely different. They both had the same spikey hair, along with the piercing blue eyes and winning smiles, but they varied even in that. Zack's hair was wild and untamed, a striking jet black and frizzed in most areas. Cloud's had been soft as duck down, unruly, but manageable, and had almost glowed in it's golden haze. The eyes were the same colour, but the depths contrasted deeply, as Zack's were full of energy and mirth, whilst Cloud's spoke of determination, courage and wisdom. Zack continually had a grin placed across his face, provoking the smiles of others, whereas Cloud's smiles had to be provoked, had to be earnt. The little blonde let out a mumble, and Sephiroth almost smiled at the child-like sleep Cloud was in, curled up against him in a cat like fashion. That was something else that had scared Sephiroth. There had been a whole new array of emotions that Cloud had brought out in him. He glanced at Tseng, the one who had provoked his first real sense of jelousy, and then back to Cloud and his battered arm, the cause of his first real distress. Yes, he had been angry before, but he knew what for, and who it was directed at, and he had been able to control it. When he'd seen Cloud crumpled on the ground and close to death, he had been angry, and upset, so much so that it had overwhelmed him, and he had felt... distressed, even panicked. Even the warmth creeping across him now, as he gazed down at the blonde had been something new to him, and he was hesitant to name the emotion, even after all the stories Zack had told, as well as his First Class men had discussed whilst out on mission.

_...A petty emotion, distracting, warming, like there's something swirling through the veins, and in the stomach... pulling at the corners of the mouth even just gazing upon such a sight... _

Sephiroth bit his teeth together, as he realised it couldn't happen. There was no time to even think of what the emotion was, let alone let it overcome him. He couldn't afford to be disstracted from his main tasks, and he gently eased the blonde off of his lap and slid further down the bench, a feeling of loss already creeping over him. Zack tutted, shaking his head slowly, as Sephiroth glanced up at him. Zack was scowling back at him, through slightly glowing eyes.

"Even now, even though somewhere within you, you KNOW what you're feeling, you choose to deny it..." Zack murmured, clear disappointment and anger over his face, "And he's going to end up hurting..."

"Zack, I have no idea what's happening here..." Sephiroth replied calmly, although his mind was racing at the observation, "All I can presume is that it's better now then later..."

Zack's eyes widened a little, as he shook his head furiously.

"I can't **believe **you!" He hissed, closing the panel swiftly, turning to face out the front window. Sephiroth sat in silence once more, intentionally focusing on the snores being softly emitted from Reno's mouth, although the golden glow still tugged at the corner of his eyes.

"Spiiiiikeeeeeey..." Zack chimed, as Cloud's head burned.

_...This is never a good way to wake up..._

"How you feeling buddy?" Zack continued, as Cloud opened aching eyes, and screwed his face up at the sudden brightness. They'd stopped moving, and appeared to be in a cottage of some sort, Zack by his side, with a few others perched at Zack's side.

"Is he alright? He's waking up, yes?" A rather plump woman fussed around Cloud's bed, "I can fetch him something if he likes!"

"He needs a bit more space woman, give the lad some room!" Snapped an equally plump gentleman standing a few metres away. Zack smirked down at Cloud, and Cloud smiled back, knowing full well that both men had seen the same behaviour with their own families.

"So, how you feeling?" zack repeated, and Cloud considered that question. His arm felt like it was on fire, but the rest of his body was too groggy to respond to it. His head was throbbing painfully, and his whole body ached, most likely from lying in the truck for so long.

_...Or fighting those creepshows, either way... ow..._

"Urgh... not so good..." Cloud smiled up at Zack, and Zack frowned slightly.

"Well you've had a good two days to sleep it off..." Zack said quietly, and Cloud felt his eyes widen uncontrollably.

"Two Days?!" he cried, and Zack shrugged.

"Yeah, Reno only woke up a few hours ago. We were kind of expecting him last to come to, but I guess you won!" Zack grinned, as Cloud struggled around the thought.

"Where are we then?"

"Kalm. We made it to Kalm!" Zack grinned, "And it's all because of you my good friend, not to mention Rude's exceptional driving skills, and the General's kick ass Fire3 materia. That forest is as good as gone, Cloud."

"Oh..." Cloud said slowly, thoughts reappearing of a warmth, his head upon the General's knee. Zack was watching Cloud carefully and leant down closer to him.

"He's gone to the settlement camp between here and the Chocobo Ranches to get some more supplies from Captain Peterson..." Zack whispered gently, placing a hand solemnly on Cloud's shoulder. Cloud gazed back up at Zack, eyes full of confusion, and the Lieutenant sighed.

"I hope you know what kind of a person you're dealing with here Cloud..." Zack said sadly, "Because it's going to be very hard either way. But if you have some idea, it might not kill you..."

"zack..."

"Cloud! You're awake!" Tseng cried, as he entered through a side door. Zack watched Cloud a moment longer, before stepping back and smiling at the Commander.

"Yep, he took his time though!" Zack laughed, as Tseng locked eyes with Cloud. He was smiling widely as he approached the bed Cloud was on, and leant over him, pulling him into a firm hug, finally pulling away with a strange look across his face.

"Thank you Cloud... I was seen by a Doctor today..." He paused, seemingly thinking out his words deeply, "I was told that your actions saved my life..."

Cloud shrugged it off, embarrassed at the sudden attention focused on him from all eyes in the room. This had apparently been news to them, and Cloud wished suddenly that he had continued sleeping.

"Oh, well, it was nothing, Sir..." Cloud shrugged, and Tseng shook his head, continuing to smile as he did so.

"Ever modest, Cloud... I did not tell them of what you did before we made it to the clearing. I wanted you to be awake if I did..." Tseng smiled further, Cloud's cheeks burning, as Zack broke into a grin.

"We'd been attacked the first time, and both gotten out unscathed. However, after that, my guard was dropped, yet Cloud continued to keep alert..." Tseng smiled, "He saved me from one of the beasts twice, getting bitten in the process, as I did too. Then it was incredible, he healed me using all of his MP before continuing to fight, and ended up battling the rest of the beasts almost single handedly, as I was too weak. He burnt his mako to the point he got to in the clearing. Once he knew I was safe, he let himself go..."

Zack smiled, before suddenly frowning slightly, and asking to be excused. Cloud watched Zack go with curiousity. It was as if something Tseng had said had reminded him of something else.

"Cloud regained consciousness, and ignored Rude's protests, heading off to save you guys... He's the only reason Reno is alive!" Tseng smiled, seemingly in awe of the SOLDIER.

"I'd like to see Reno if I may..." Cloud asked sheepishly, as everyone smiled and showered him with words of praise. They gave him some room, as Tseng helped him to his feet. He was weakened greatly, and his legs shook under the sudden use as he was lead to a room next to his. Reno was stretched out on an identical bed to Cloud's, eyes half closed, and clearly in pain, as Cloud approached the chair by his bed and eased himself into it.

"Cloud..." Reno grinned, holding out a hand feebly, which Cloud took and promptly shook, "Thanks man..."

Cloud nodded in response, and Reno grimaced, rolling gingerly onto his back. Zack then entered from outside the small cottage and wiped his feet on the mat as the plump woman scowled in warning. He was apparently on a cell phone, speaking in low murmurs and mumbles, mirth slipping from his face. He latched his eyes on to Cloud, as he realised the blonde was watching him and smiled slightly, before gesturing for Cloud to return to bed. It didn't seem like such a bad idea to Cloud, and he stood himself up, walking back to the bed he was laying in and sliding under the covers. It was incredibly warm and comforting where they were staying, which Cloud presumed to be an inn, and they were being well looked after by the couple running the place. It reminded cloud a lot of home, where the carpet was soft and fluffy beneath the feet, and the paint on the walls was warm and soothing. Cloud lay wearily, as Tseng took up a seat next to Cloud's bed and simply watched over him. Cloud lulled into a light sleep before being woken a short time later by the sound of a ringing cell. He opened his eyes as Tseng answered the phone, and frowned at the Turk's expression.

"... Talk to him now, Professor? He's still... No I'm not undermiming... Not at all professor..." Tseng scowled, clenching his fists, "I'm sure that the president does... Of course... Well he's awake now..."

Tseng was almost pleading with Cloud to close his eyes and fall back into sleep, but there was not much point now, as he handed the phone over to the blonde.

"Hello?" Cloud mumbled sleepily, holding the phone against his ear.

"Cloud! My boy! I hear you have much to tell me!" A voice rang down the line, and Cloud almost threw the receiver then and there.

"No professor Hojo, nothing special..."

"Well what's all this about being a hero then?" Hojo snorted, "Are you being modest Cloud? How... odd..."

"It was nothing special professor. I did what I had to, and what anyone else would..."

"What anyone else would have done?!" the animated voice interrupted, as Cloud clenched his jaw, "That's the thing Cloud, nobody else did do it!"

"I'm tired professor. I'd like to sleep if I may..." Cloud replied coldly, and there was a silence on the other end of the line.

"Come see me when you get back to Midgar, SOLDIER..." Came the curt reply, before the line cut out. Cloud resisted the urge to hurl the cell across the room, and shoved it towards the Commander instead. Tseng took the phone with an understanding look, before apologising to Cloud. Cloud refused to listen, saying it was not the Turk's fault, before asking if he may be able to change. Tseng nodded, politely leaving the room and closing the door behind him. This would have been a cue for any respectable person not to enter, but Zack ignored it, barging through whilst Cloud was struggling with his shirt.

"Ah God Cloud, you know it's not below you to ask for help..." Zack sighed, undressing the Blonde gently, before rummaging through Cloud's pack for a change of clothes.

"Who was on the phone, Zack?" Cloud asked curiously, and somewhat sheepishly, still not used to being naked before his room mate.

"Oh, just the General..." Zack shrugged, throwing a pair of pants Cloud's way, giggling slightly, before holding up Cloud's spare pair of underwear, which had ended up with blood all over them. Cloud scowled, realising the underwear he had just climbed out of had been even worse, and Zack shrugged.

"Commando, it seems, Strife..." Zack snorted, before throwing a shirt at the spikey blonde hair, as Cloud glowered at Zack, who smirked in response.

"What did he want?" Cloud tried to change topics once again.

"I actually called him..." Zack sighed, "Did you need socks?"

Cloud nodded, aware that Zack was changing the topic as frequently as Cloud was, but Cloud wasn't going to let it drop.

"Why are you changing the topic, Zack?" Cloud asked bluntly, and Zack tensed, before shaking his head.

"Now that you're awake, we'll be leaving this afternoon. Mark, Tseng, Rude and I will be meeting up with the General, but you and Reno will be sent bak to Midgar for recovery..." Zack paused, and Cloud waited patiently for him to continue, "But due to... circumstance, Sephiroth is making sure you stay away from Midgar. So we'll be taking you with us."

"But why?" Cloud furrowed his eyebrows, and Zack sighed. Zack grabbed Cloud in a one armed hug and shook him a little.

"You just stick with who you know, alright?" Zack nodded sharply, as did Cloud, realising that there was no longer a point in asking more questions. He was very aware that he would get no responses anyway.

"Ok, well, let's go then..." Cloud shrugged, gingerly picking up his pack and slinging it over his shoulder, before walking out the door. He could feel Zack's eyes piercing the back of his head, but ignored it.

_...I came here to get __**away **__from him... _

Sephiroth was reclined in his office chair at the Midway base between Kalm and the Chocobo Ranches, his feet on the mahogany desk before him, feeling completely out of place in the dreary green tent encasing him. It was a large tent, enough to keep not only his office, but a seperate compartment for his quarters. Captain Peteson had planned well, knowing that the General would be in the area, and making arangements ahead, on the chance that the general would arrive unexpected. It had been much the case. The General had not remained in Kalm for more then a few hours. He'd been there to help unload the equipment for the townspeople and to give a briefing to the Kalm mayor, before deciding to leave the immediate area. The smoke was still rising from the burning embers of the forest, and he had watched the plume rise through the gaps between roof tops, whilst leaning casually against the sculpture in the town square. Residents had been skitting past him or even daring to approach him throughout the night, as his mind fought battles with itself. He'd been drawn to staying by Cloud's side until he woke, but it was not necessary, and he was sure it would do himself more harm then good. He'd left, telling Zack of his plans to head to Midway, and taking a spare cell if anything changed in the immediate area. Zack had nodded knowingly, fully aware of the General's meaning behind the statement. The second anything happened with Cloud, he wanted to know.

_...And now he has to come here... Hojo you bastard..._

The professor had caught wind of the tales, and was now almost obsessively fascinated with Cloud. He'd been filing paper work for Cloud to be his guinea pig insistently, and Shinra was giving way. Sephiroth could see this, and it had un-nerved him to the core. Zack had called him about three hours ago, with details of Cloud's awakening, and the new information that had been revealed by Tseng. The General had ordered Zack to bring Cloud to the base infirmary, and was now doomed, once again, to face him.

_...Everywhere I go, you just seem to be there..._

Sephiroth had told Zack what he knew of the beasts that attacked them. They were mako, at least 80. That meant that although they would be sick for sometime to over exposure, their wounds would heal themselves without any treatment. All Zack was instructed to do was set and heal his and Mark's broken legs, which he had been horrified about. He smiled to himself at Zack's reaction.

"Break us both?!" Zack had gaped, "I already hate setting bones, and you're making me do us both?!"

"Yes Zachary, it's necessary, unless you want to be in a wheelchair the rest of your very short career..." Sephiroth had smirked, "As I doubt a hobbling Lieutenant would be much use to the army..."

Zack had scowled and bid the General a safe trip, before limping into the inn. Sephiroth had followed him shortly after, opening the door enough to greet the inn owners and give them more then a sufficient amount of gil for their worries. The cantankerous old man who runned the place had nodded in approval and even shook the General's hand, before retiring to the lounge with a newspaper. The dumpy woman however, had decided to try and chatter to ephiroth, although his attention had been caught by the trembling blonde in the corner room. He could just see his figure through the door frame, and he paused a moment, before turning back to face the woman. She reached out and placed her hand on his arm.

"He'll be taking care of General, you have no need to worry..." She smiled reassuringly, and Sephiroth gave a curt nod, thanking her politely before leaving.

Now, as he rubbed his eyes in a half-hearted effort to wake himself up, he heard the familiar sound of the Shinra army vehicle pulling onto the gravel outside. He swung his legs off the desk and sat upright, as the Commander came in through the tent entrance, as tall and proud as always, even though he was walking a little awkwardly, the mako still coursing thickly through his veins.

"General..." He saluted, as Sephiroth gestured the seat on the other side of the desk, "Oh, no thank you..."

"If you insist... I trust you got here well, Commander?" Sephiroth asked smoothly, "No interruptions or such?"

"None at all General. Mark even felt well enough to drive, so we had an experienced hand behind the wheel..." Tseng smiled slightly, as he watched the General stifle a yawn.

"Have you not slept since the battle, Sir?" Tseng asked, eyebrows furrowing. Sephiroth nodded, letting out a long sigh.

"Three nights without sleep is hell on a body, General, mako or not..." Tseng sighed, and Sephiroth nodded once again, "But I understand the feeling. If I had not been drugged so much, I would not have slept myself..."

"I hope you are feeling well enough to return to duties, Commander?" Sephiroth queried, studying the olive face and emotional eyes. Tseng had learnt much from his first few weeks in command of the Turks, and this was an experience for him, to say the least. Sephiroth could see the effect it had had on him already, the weariness sinking in shadows underneath his eyes. He was beginning to look like the Leader he had been chosen to be, and the General was able to see himself mirrored slightly in the Turk.

"I believe if he keeps well, I shall be fine..." Tseng said quietly, "Which is why I am here, General..."

"What were you after, Commander?" Sephiroth asked cautiously.

_...does he know of Hojo's plans?..._

Tseng held the General's gaze for some time, before having to look away before he spoke.

_...yes, of course..._

"General, I am aware of some rather confidential information. Considering it is regarding yourself however, I am willing to test the waters..." Tseng began, and Sephiroth nodded, encouraging him to continue. Tseng held his temple for a moment, before gesturing at the chair, "I hope the offer still stands?"

"Of course... take a seat..." The General nodded, keeping his anger at bay. He was not intending to direct any anger towards Tseng at all, but was aware of the fact that he had little control on mention of Hojo. Tseng seemed to acknowledge this, and was choosing his words wisely.

"I know of certain experimentation on living organisms, conducted by none other then the Professor..." Tseng brushed his hair behind his ear in a seemingly subconscious manner, "Although I am also aware of just how much you are involved with these... I'm not even sure what to call them..."

Tseng's face had become quite sour on mention of this, and Sephiroth kept that in his mind for future regard.

_...He's on your side with this one..._

"Yes, I am very aware, being the very first to have such disgusting acts conducted upon them, and I am sure you are as cautious of the professor's infatuation with him as I am... " Sephiroth raised an eyebrow, as Tseng's clenched his fists, "As I was very aware of your intentions of recruitment with him..."

Tseng locked eyes once again with those of the General, as his fists loosened, and his mouth partially opened in surprise. The General watched over the Commander and his swaying emotion, which finally ended on a disappointment, almost a sadness.

"Then I am to guess you know of my failure to do so, yet another reason I have come to speak to you today..." Tseng calmly stated, although his face was somewhat strained, "And I hope you allow me to voice opinion, keeping in mind that Turks are honest within ranks. We may have disagreements General, but I still have a large amount of respect for a figure such as yourself... That said, I wish for you to feel as if you can be truthful with me."

"That is reasonable Commander, and I will grant you that wish, providing you return the favour..." Sephiroth carried on with the politeness.

_...Why do we still act this way, Tseng? After all we've seen together and been through...We're still down to a polite formalness..._

"Of course... Sephiroth..." tseng smiled slightly, before carrying on. He leant casually back in his chair, and stretched first, as the General placed his feet on the desk once more. Tseng outright smiled this time and shook his head minutely.

"Perhaps you are too tired at this present time, General?"

"Not at all, Tseng. Please, do carry on..." Sephiroth smirked, as Tseng nodded.

"I somewhat fancy him, Sephiroth..." Tseng began, as Sephiroth raised an eyebrow once again, a little shocked at the commander's forwardness, "**But** even though you might deny it, to yourself, to me, to anyone... I am capable of seeing you do too..."

"I'm not quite seeing any relev..."

"It doesn't matter..." Tseng smiled, "Although I guess in some ways it does. You are the only person I am able to trust him with, as I know how you feel, considering we share that common ground... I have read your eyes on occassion, when you have been watching him, or speaking of him, and I think you feel deeper then even you know."

Sephiroth paused and recalled the moment Tseng and himself had shared in the truck, when the turk had been studying him intently.

"Also, being a high military figure, i know the kind of strings you are able to pull. the first was to bring him here..." Tseng smiled, "And I am to thank you for that on a personal and professional basis."

"It was necessary, Tseng, as I'm sure you are aware..."

"Yes, which is the other reason I am here..." Tseng frowned a little, "I just wanted to ask you, General... as a comrade, as a fellow Shinra Employee, as... as a friend..."

_...As a friend... Well... Yes..._

"As a friend..." Sephiroth repeated, a small smile creeping across his lips.

"Yes... even friends have differences. I would like to return to the kind of friendship we had some time ago..." Tseng asked cautiously, and Sephiroth nodded, bringing a smile from the Turk's lips.

"Of course, I am glad..." Sephiroth said, "Please, continue..."

"Yes... as a friend... I ask you..." Tseng's face darkened slightly, "Keep him away from Hojo... I am about to wash my hands clean of the boy... It is necessary for Turk members not to make attachments to lower ranked SOLDIERs, as i am sure you are aware."

"You do not want him as a Turk?"

"More then anything. He himself has said that his loyalties lie with you, and I can tell how far they lie, General..." Tseng smiled, a little deafeat within it, "I could not keep him from you if I **made **him join..."

"Cloud will be taken care of to the best of my capabilities, Tseng..." Sephiroth paused, realising he had now only just mentioned the blonde's name. Both men had seemed to refrain from it, and Sephiroth knew what his reason was. Even as the name had rung through the tent, both men had had a reaction to it.

"Yes, Cloud..." Tseng said quitely, averting his gaze to the floor of the tent, and placing his own feet atop the General's desk.

"Was that all, Commander?" Sephiroth said quietly, feeling slightly awkward at the entire situation, and yet pleased at the progress both he and Tseng had made.

"Yes, one more thing..." Tseng paused, "He was particularly quiet on the truck here. Zack had been talking to him and I believe it involved your disappearance, at a guess. Perhaps you should talk to the boy..."

"Thank you Tseng, I shall consider it..." Sephiroth coughed slightly, as the Commander rose to his feet and extended a hand. The General took it and shook it firmly, as Tseng smiled warmly, giving a simple nod, which the General returned, before Tseng took his leave. Sephiroth let out a long, low sigh and stretched out further on his chair, eyes drooping closed as he tried to shake the blonde from his thoughts.

Cloud felt like an idiot and mentally cursed Zack as he paced before the large tent, slightly dizzy still.

_..."Oh Cloud, you should go and see him if you are so worried"... I swear Zack, I'm willing to kick your ass if anything goes wrong because of this..._

He vaguely remembered lying on the bench in the truck, his head upon Sephiroth's knee, but other then that, he remembered nothing of what Zack had said. It didn't seem right that the General had been affectionate in anyway, but something was burning in the back of his mind, which was the only reason he had agreed to come here in the first place.

"Are you alright, SOLDIER?" A voice said from behind, as Cloud jumped, spinning around to find an amused Tseng smirking at him.

"Uh, yes sir..." Cloud replied, running his hand through the blonde spikes, "I just wanted to uh... debrief the General...?"

Tseng chuckled to himself, as Cloud inwardly groaned at his choice of words.

"That is to say, I just wanted to meet with him, and uh... discuss the mission..." Cloud burned, as Tseng smirked wickedly.

"It's alright SOLDIER, I am willing to ignore Freudian slips. I was in there about an hour ago, he appeared to be in light spirits..." Tseng smiled, "Has he called for you to visit?"

"Uh no, I'm here because Zack suggested it..." Cloud shrugged, cheeks burning at Tseng's observancy, "He seemed to think that I should update the general on the health of Reno and myself."

Tseng watched Cloud briefly and Cloud felt the burn through his eyes.

_... Ok, so you didn't buy a word of that... uh... your move..._

"Very well..." Tseng nodded, "Excuse me, I was on the way to see the Captain. The Captain insists on keeping his tent so far from the others that it's hell moving between them."

"Well the General's is pretty distanced also..." Cloud observed, as he realised that he could not even see the campfire from where they were, and the Captain's lantern flickered at quite a distance also.

"It's an authority thing, I think..." Tseng shrugged, giving a final nod and smile to Cloud before carrying on. Cloud continued his pacing before the tent, building his courage as much as he could.

_... 'Appeared to be in light spirits'... mildly promising I suppose..._

Cloud breathed deeply before knocking on the tent frame.

"Uh, General, sir?" Cloud called timidly, waiting for a response. He knocked once again, being met with silence one more.

"Right, well, that's that..." Cloud mumbled to himself before pausing, and listening once again. Still, nothing.

_... What if... he's like... hurt or something?_

_**...Ha! The General hurt? Please...**_

_... But then again... He is human... sometimes..._

Cloud allowed his conscious to battle with itself a further few minutes before opening the tent flap and poking his head inside. The lanterns were blazing, and caught his eyes slightly off guard.

"General, sir?" Cloud called, as he stepped inside the tent, looking around. Once his eyes had adjusted, he spotted the General perched in a chair, his feet lazily propped up on a desk before him. He was very still. Cloud approached the desk, and smiled slightly. The General's chest was moving gently up and down, and he was almost smiling, although his eyes were closed, his hands behind his head.

_... He's so... perfect... _

Cloud shook his head slightly, closing his eyes and turning. He stopped though, his body betraying his mind, turning back to face the sleeping General. He let his eyes wash over the relaxed form, and gentle, pale face. He was more relaxed in sleep then Cloud had ever seen him, and the sight was-

_...Beautiful..._

He was aware of the smile creeping across his cheeks as he watched Sephiroth breathing slowly and deeply.

_...I could stay here all night I bet... just watching him sleep is the most... HOLY SHIT!_

Emerald green eyes had snapped opened, and widened slightly in surprise at the sight of Cloud, as the blonde stumbled back and fell onto the floor.

_...God, please, kill me now... PLEASSSEEE..._

"Cloud?" Came the murmured reply, as the blonde struggled to pull himself off the ground.

"Yes sir?" Cloud replied sheepishly, sitting up to face the General.

"I could feel you watching me... even in my sleep..." the General smirked, "I guess my intuition is better then I give it credit for..."

"It's uh, great, sir..." Cloud coughed awkwardly, brushing himself off as he got to his feet, "Almost... creepy..."

Sephiroth let out a small laugh, rubbing his eyes, and gesturing at the seat before his desk.

"Apologies, SOLDIER... It's been a long day..." the General stifled a yawn, as Cloud took the seat before his desk, and fidgeted a little with his thumbs.

_... Everything you do is so hard not to watch... why did you have to be so... grgh..._

"How are you feeling?" Sephiroth asked, seemingly concerned, although Cloud was reluctant to view his face and see.

"Alright, still feeling kind of crappy, but a heck of a lot better then I was..." Cloud shrugged, eyes still focused squarely on his hands.

"And the trip back, it was good?" Sephiroth asked lightly, and Cloud nodded.

_...This was a bad idea, Zack..._

"I didn't throw up, so it was a bonus..." Cloud shrugged, and Sephiroth almost chuckled lightly. Cloud willed himself to look into the Emerald Green, and almost fell off his chair. There was a light sleepiness there, as Cloud gazed upon the bright eyes which were washing over him lazily. It was Sephiroth in a whole different light.

"Are you alright Cloud?" The general asked curiously, as Cloud realised that if he were to ever ask it, he would have to be blunt.

"Why did you leave?" Cloud asked, keeping his face stony, as the General's smile faltered.

"Well Cloud, it seems you are doing well, I guess that it's a good thing..."

"Why did you leave?" Cloud repeated, as the General turned away from him, feet still perching upon his desk. He was avoiding the topic, and it was driving Cloud up the wall.

"I take that as you're not going to tell me?" Cloud crossed his arms, almost pouting towards Sephiroth, who's eyes were watching him from their corners. A silence followed, before the General sighed, turning himself back to face him, locking eyes with Cloud, who refused now to turn away. They stared each other down, as Cloud waited for the response, and the General waited for him to back down.

"Why were you watching me?" Sephiroth replied, and Cloud paused.

"How is that relevant?" He replied curtly, as Sephiroth flicked his eyes away briefly.

"Answer me, SOLDIER. As an order..." The General waited firmly, as Cloud's courage built in his stomach.

"I felt... compelled to..." Cloud replied, a little more shakily then he would have liked.

"As did I..." Came the short response, almost cold from the General's thin lips. Cloud stood up, almost glaring at the General.

"And that's the only answer you give me?" Cloud hissed, anger bubbling up inside him.

_...You think if you ignore me I'll just accept it? Without reason?..._

"I think there's more then that, and I think you're just avoiding telling me for whatever little reason your brain has concocted!" Cloud snapped, all thoughts of who he was addressing were out of his mind. Sephiroth sat in silence, watching Cloud with the same conflicted emotion swirling through his eyes. Cloud turned and made to leave, before hearing the General slam his fist on the desk.

"Damn it Cloud!" Sephiroth snapped, as the blonde spun to face the angered General, who had stood in his rage and was pointing his finger at the blonde.

"It was you! if you really need your answer, I left because of you!"

"Oh how reassuring! That tells me a whole lot coming from you General!" Cloud snapped, pointing his own finger as he shouted, "I'm sorry to have been such an inconvenience to your daily routine!"

The General's eyes glowed, and he seemed to struggle with words, as Cloud turned on his heel.

Panic over took the General.

"I couldn't be around you Cloud!" He snapped, although his brain struggled with the right emotion. The blonde's eyes began to glow, and Sephiroth inwardly kicked himself.

"I don't need this General, especially not from you..." Cloud hissed, before turning to leave.

_...Wait... what?... For crying out loud, THINK before you speak..._

"Cloud..." he said, considerably softer, taking a few steps to the retreating blonde, before Cloud himself stopped and turned to face him. The sapphire blue were swirling with anger, but Sephiroth felt his insides ache as he watched tears swim in the blonde's eyes.

_...I did that to him... I created that pain..._

"Cloud, I couldn't be around you because..."

_...Who cares how hard this is for you? This is so much harder for him..._

_**... He's used to feeling things like this... He's used to FEELING...**_

_... Maybe feeling isn't so bad..._

"...because I..."

_...Don't say that word... you'll scare him..._

_**...scare him? you'll scare yourself!**_

_...Alternative..._

"I... like... you..." Sephiroth reeled at his own words, and felt childish at even admitting it in such a way.

_...I like you? I __**like **__you? Oh, you're so good with your words, General..._

he waited for the blonde's reaction, as the sapphire blue looked away for a moment, and Sephiroth tensed. He'd just admitted feelings to someone who had no real ones in return.

"You're not very funny, General..." Cloud mumbled, his eyes swimming with tears once more.

_...What?... not very funny?_

"Excuse me Cloud?" Sephiroth queried, puzzled and feeling awkward about it.

"I don't appreciate you making jokes like that..." came the almost sulky reply.

_...Joking? ... -sigh-..._

"I wasn't aware that I was trying to make a joke, SOLDIER..." Sephiroth replied lowly, watching as the blue met his, a somewhat disbelieving look flitting through them. Sephiroth had never met such a situation in his life, even after watching various movies on recreation nights with his First Class SOLDIERs. None of this admissions of feelings had ever seemed so difficult and somewhat awkward. He scratched his head, not quite sure what else he was able to do in such a situation, eyes turning to the ground, and the blood stained boots upon his feet. The silence continued to stretch, as Sephiroth waited for a response of any kind. He continued staring at the specks of blood on the otherwise immaculate boots on his feet and considered getting them washed by Rosie when she was finished with her other duties. He heard Cloud almost sigh, before he finally decided to lift his eyes. The blonde was now standing right before him, as sapphire blue locked his with some uncertainty, before the blonde reached up and gently took hold of the General's face, pulling it towards him. Sephiroth's brain stalled at the warm hands upon his cheeks, and the gentle lips pressing against his, as the blonde moved hands into the silver hair and ran finger tips over pale cheeks and forehead. Sephiroth parted lips slightly in surprise, before Cloud entered his mouth exploring it and kneading his tongue with Cloud's own. Cloud was sending fire through every part of his body just by his touch and kiss, and he lost some control, emitting a small moan despite himself, as Cloud grasped his hair a little tighter at the sound and drew back slowly from the kiss. He opened his eyes to gaze at the General's in a dream-like fashion for a few moments, before pulling him back down to him, a renewed enthusiasm springing to life. Sephiroth struggled for his senses, before his body took over and dragged Cloud into him, wrapping his hands around Cloud's waist and pulling away to bite and kiss the blonde's neck. Cloud gasped in pleasure, clutching again against the General, breathing into his ear, and pushing him towards the compartment of the tent where the General's quarters were. The General unzipped the compartment earlier and was now more then pleased with the decision, as the blonde eased him through the entrance and pushed him onto the bed, falling lightly on top of him, never once breaking their kiss, even as he fumbled on the clasps holding the General's armour and cloak to his body. Sephiroth struggled for some kind of power in the situation, but his mind was swimming as Cloud rained kisses along his now bare neck and chest, and traced fingers along his skin in feather touches, drawing tiny gasps from him involuntarily. He'd never responded to a touch, a kiss, like he was right now, and he knew Cloud was relishing in the appreciation. Cloud was delicate and teasing as he made his way further down, Sephiroth's body burning with urgency, as the blonde slid off the leather pants, and locked eyes with Sephiroth in a kind of hungry surprise, before raining further kisses along Sephiroth's stomach and resting on his arousal, before locking sapphire blues with the emerald green once again.

"Damn it Cloud..." The General almost snarled huskily, "Don't be such a tease..."

The blonde smiled wickedly, before returning his attention to the neglected arousal between his hands, and encased it with his mouth.

_...Holy mother of God..._

His mouth was warm and wet, applying pressure in all the right places, swirling his tongue along the length of Sephiroth's arousal and surprising the General to no end.

_...There is no way in hell he hasn't done this before..._

All jealous thoughts and musings were pushed aside as Cloud applied more pressure, and Sephiroth clutched at the quilt beneath him in a blind haze of pleasure. Wave after wave of heat continued to rush through his body and his chest burned as the Sapphire blue continued to hold the General's gaze, watching facial expressions and emotion with apparent enthusiasm. Sephiroth saw the emotion in Cloud's eyes, and realised that although Cloud had done this before, he had not done it much. If he had, he was still very unsure of whether or not he was doing the right thing. The General snapped his eyes closed, stars flashing in his eyelids, and his every ounce of control keeping him from release.

"Cloud... you have to stop..." Sephiroth managed through gritted teeth. The blonde lifted his head, seeming somewhat hurt, before Sephiroth brushed his hand over the flushed cheeks, and urged Cloud up to him, pressing him into a needy kiss, exploring the inside of his mouth, gently trailing his hands over the muscular body beneath him. Sephiroth worked on the removal of Cloud's clothing, whilst Cloud returned to kissing the General's neck and nibbling at his ear lobes, drawing out a steady stream of gasps from the General.

_...For the love of God Cloud, you're too much..._

The General was sure by now that Cloud was to be the death of him, his kisses and touch so gentle, and yet demanding enough to drive the General into a state of urgency.Cloud's skin was soft to the touch, yet hard full of muscle, as it shivered gently under his persistent touch, and Sephiroth leant in to taste the skin beneath him, his desires spiralling out of control. He wanted every part of Cloud, he wanted to own it and claim it as his own, beginning with the kisses he trailed along Cloud's collarbone and chest, brushing his lips along Cloud's abdomen. Sephiroth slipped off the trousers of the blonde before leaning back and sweeping his eyes over the spectacle before him. Cloud watched him as he did it, the flushed cheeks burning brighter, as he turned away from the General's gaze.

"Cloud..." Sephiroth said gently, waiting for the eyes to meet his own, "You're beautiful..."

The general leant forward, placing a kiss upon the blonde's lips, before brushing his fingers over them, the sapphire blue never losing his gaze, even as he reached under the mattress and retrieved the bottle of lubricant he had left there on his last journey to Midway. He applied some to his fingers, before sweeping an amount over Cloud's entrance, bringing a shiver from the blonde's mouth, as he closed his eyes briefly, opening them half lidded to gaze up once more at the General before him. Sephiroth reached down gently, unsure of whether or not Cloud had been entered before, watching the blue shine for permission. There was an uncertainty swimming in the blue, as the General brushed his finger over Cloud's opening again, but a small nod came from the blonde's head, as his head lolled back slightly, eyes closing as Sephiroth eased a finger into him, drawing a hitched gasp, followed by a low moan from the blonde. The sound emitted from Cloud's mouth, and the heat encasing his finger was almost enough to put Sephiroth over the edge on it's own, and he was forced to bite down on his lip when entering a second finger as Cloud writhed a little underneath him, moaning rather loudly, the sound ringing in the General's ears. Cloud watched Sephiroth with lustful hunger as he worked his fingers inside the blonde's heated body, Cloud arching his back slightly to reach deeper within him. He eased a third finger in, Cloud gasping in pleasure, and whispering "Ungh... Sephiroth..." as he reached to touch himself, before Sephiroth pushed his hand back. He would have to do it soon though, for both their sakes, and he ached at the thought of the night being such a quick affair. Cloud was still ill, however, no matter how good he felt at the moment. The General recalled his earlier experiences, and a pleasure spot which brought an explosive response from the men he had been with, and knew that if he could pull that response from Cloud, he had achieved what he had wanted. Sephiroth arched his fingers, and searched Cloud's body for the spot he needed, before stroking the back of Cloud's prostate. Cloud paused in delight, arching his back, his mouth wide open in a silent cry before letting out a cry, spilling affection from his lips and repeating the General's name in a soft, husky voice. The General couldn't handle any more of the treatment, if he did, it would be over before it had truly began. Sephiroth removed his fingers and aligned himself to enter the blonde, as Cloud placed his legs around the General's waist and pulled Sephiroth down for hot wet kisses, groaning in between them as Sephiroth entered Cloud in a gentle push. They lay still briefly, Cloud digging his fingers into Sephiroth's back and breathing out in a long shuddered breath, before the General slowly began to move, Cloud automatically moving with him until their rhythm was a fluid and increasingly hasted one. Sephiroth bit down hard on his lip, his hands guiding Cloud's waist to and from him, his eyes locking on with the sapphire blue, which were alive with emotion, as he felt his insides burning and a pressure building within. The heat being shared between Cloud's tight, heated body and that emitted from his own increased desire was enough to bring on a steady stream of moans from Sephiroth's lips. Cloud's moans were heightening, as he reached out to touch himself, Sephiroth too intently focused on the blonde to bat his hand away. He let out a final cry, spilling his seed across his chest and hand before Sephiroth closed his eyes in his own moment of relief and murmured the blonde's name, as his body shook and rode through Cloud's own climax, before he fell upon the blonde, Cloud's mess not bothering him as he lay gentle kisses along the blonde's collarbone. He lay there, his body shaking slightly, breathing in the very essence of Cloud, before withdrawing and laying next to the blonde. Cloud wiped himself clean with a nearby towel and turned back to face the General, eyes emotional and half-lidded, before smiling soflty at Sephiroth, who pulled him into his arms and lay a familiar kiss upon the blonde's head. His head was dizzied at the very encounter, his heart pounding, and his arms encasing the blonde with all that they were worth. His chest was heavy with the responsibility he now felt obliged to keep, but he feared ruining the moment, and instead relished in the warm body pressed against him and nuzzling into his shoulder. The blonde wrapped his arms around his chest, and he faltered, realising that what lay in his arms was somehow all that he would ever need. His heart also ached at the dread creeping over him that somehow, it would not last forever.

Cloud drearily opened his eyes and smiled, a warmth creeping over him as last night's events set in. It was replaced quickly by a panic, as he realised he was not in any kind of familiar surroundings.

"Mister Strife?" A voice asked from his left as he rolled to face a female nurse figure who smiled at him sweetly, "The General says you've been sleep walking. Ended up in his tent last night, imagine that!"

She giggled, as Cloud smiled to himself.

_...Thank you Seph..._

"Uh, yeah... I guess I do that sometimes. How did I get here?" Cloud asked groggily, and she smiled once again.

"He carried you in, told us to look after you pretty well, because you'd had a rough time in the Kalm forest..." She gaped a little, "Were you the one they've all been talking about?!"

Cloud lay silently, his body aching and tired, but somehow content after last night's encounter with the General. He had never in his entire lifed dreamed of such an event occuring, and had almost believed it had not happened at all, had it not been for what he was feeling now. Cloud had been with one other man before, he'd been only thirteen, and had hit puberty early. He'd become confused at his preference when he had entered Shinra, but upon meeting his room mate and sweeping eyes over bright blue eyes and Chestnut hair, he knew he would never dream of a female again. The boy, Clark Morrison, had captured Cloud in a web of desire and lead Cloud right into the position he had wanted him. The fourteen year old had gotten what he wanted from Cloud before suddenly ceasing to speak to him. Cloud had steered clear of most of the men in Shinra from then on, but he'd been infatuated with the General for his whole time as a cadet, and now as a SOLDIER. Now,

_...I've gone ahead and fallen in love with him..._

The thought had hit cloud hard the night before, and it had pained him, as he realised that it was highly unlikely that such a relationship would never work between the two of them. Besides, who was Cloud to think that Sephiroth would be any different to Clark? Used him, and abused him, Cloud had vowed not to venture near anyone like Clark again.

_... I highly doubt the General would even be so cruel... there was something there... 'Cloud... you're beautiful...' that wasn't lust, not in that moment..._

"Mister Strife?" the nurse asked gently, as Cloud snapped back to attention, "Are you alright?"

"Yes, just... I guess I'm still tired..." He shrugged, smiling, as the nurse blushed.

"Oh... well, you can continue sleeping if you like, Cloud..." She smiled sweetly, "I'll just wake you if you get any visitors, will that be alright?"

"Oh, that would be lovely, nurse..." Cloud smiled somewhat sleepily, and the nurse blushed a little further.

"Oh please, Cloud, you may call me Rosie..." She smiled, and Cloud inwardly sighed. Girls were always the same with him.

"Thank you then Rosie, that's a lovely name..." He nodded, and she giggled, thanking him and walking away.

_... If only it was that easy with men..._

Cloud had been the centre of his class mate's jealousy since he had joined Shinra. Anytime he came into contact with a female, they seemed to almost drop at his feet. He recalled a conversation he had had with Zack once, and smiled to himself.

"You're a real lady's man, Cloud!" Zack had snorted, as cloud rolled his eyes, "But something tells me you just won't bite the hook no matter how much they wave it before you..."

"Uh..." Cloud had replied, stunned at Zack's observation. He had liked to think it wasn't that obvious.

"Well, you have girls fling themselves at you from all over the place, and yet you don't give them a second glance!" Zack cried, before lowering his voice, "Yet the General walks by and you just about swoon..."

Zack had then winked at Cloud, and provoked an intense glow from the cadet's cheeks, before shrugging.

"From my point of view Cloud, i think it's because you're pretty. that's why they giggle madly when they're around you..." Zack smirked.

"Pretty?!" Cloud had cried, scowling at the use of words.

"You've got such perfect skin. Your eyes are the most unique I've ever seen, they almost glow... even without the mako!" Zack had scowled almost jealously, "Not to mention you have a perfect smile, gorgeous hair and a personality to match. Lucky you're not my type or I would be swooning too!"

Cloud had snorted at this remark, knowing full well that Zack was one to swing on both sides of the fence, but knew wise enough that Zack would never make a move on Cloud without an open invitation. As Cloud had gotten older, many others had indeed taken the opportunity to make a move on Cloud, but they had been politely refused. Cloud had kept the bitterness of Clark freshly in his mind, and even after advances from some very attractive and perfectly decent men, Cloud had remained cautious.

_...not to mention entirely devoted to a worthless cause..._

Cloud smiled widely as he closed his eyes and retracted his last thought. It had not been a worhtless cause after all, as last night had proven to be the most mind-blowing night of his life so far. He had heard rumours of the General and his abilities on mission and off, but he had never expected what he got last night. He stretched a little, his arm burning with a sudden pain, as he scowled at the interruption of his day dream, before easing himself into yet another deep sleep.

Zack's eyes were boring into him, and he hated it. He held his composure however, resisting the urge to squirm in his seat, and he refused to look up from the paper he was 'reading'.

"Why are you still here, Lieutenant? The meeting ended a full five minutes ago..." Sephiroth mumbled, and Zack stretched in his chair, shaking his head.

"You're just... weird today..." Zack sighed, "like, you're not agro angry, you're not depressed or withdrawn, but I can't figure out what you are..."

"Disturbed by a lieutenant?" Sephiroth raised an eyebrow, before finally meeting Zack's eyes, "Because I am..."

"Nope..." Zack shrugged, before furrowing his brows and seemingly concentrating, "You're... distracted though..."

"...It's hard to read when you're in my ear, Zachary..." Sephiroth sighed. It wasn't entirely true though, Zack had been the at the back of his thoughts, even as the lieutenant had been in his company.

"See, but you're not really reading!" Zack whined, "Tell meeeee!"

"Meeting is over, Lieutenant. Go and check in on the infirmary. See how Reno and the others are doing..." Sephiroth said quietly, as Zack broke into a wide grin.

"Ohhh!" Zack smirked wickedly, "So... I want details on the little rendezvous last night..."

"Get out, Zack..." Sephiroth scowled, and Zack beamed.

"YES!! I am so overtly rapt that something finally happened!!" Zack almost squealed, "Oh, you two are just sooooo cute!"

"For God's sake Zack, you're acting like a five year old..." Sephiroth tried scowling, although a slightly amused smile threatened to break his cover, "Besides, I never said anything **did **happen..."

"Oh please!" Zack scoffed, "Cloud goes to have a small conversation with you and ends up never coming back..."

"He was ill, and he somehow appeared in the infirmary," Sephiroth raised his eyebrows in a sarcastic manner, "Your detective skills are **amazing**..."

"Even if he did get there himself, why else would you be so distracted?" Zack smirked, "Because unlike yourself, I know how you feel, and I know how a particular spikey little blonde affects you..."

"Get out Zack..." Sephiroth sighed, as Zack laughed, seemingly to himself.

"I'll have to ask Cloud then!" Zack grinned, and Sephiroth glared at him, returning to the paper in front of him.

_...Heck, you're not the only one, Zachary..._

It had hit the General like a ton of bricks, and as he had lied there the night before feeling the rise and fall of the chest against his, his hand through golden soft hair and gentle arms laced around his waist, he had panicked. He was not allowed to have feelings such as these for the blonde. It was not fair on either of them, and it quite frankly scared him.

_...I can't afford to be scared... not of him, not for him, not with him..._

He had made the decision to send Cloud to the infirmary, and end it at that. It would cause the blonde no damage, Cloud was surely only after the one thing, and he had gotten it last night. Sephiroth was determined that even if he did feel this-

_...is it sorrow? Sadness? I've felt pain, but this is surely a different breed..._

What he did would be best for Cloud, he was sure of it. Zack had his eyes focused on him once more, and was watching him with a sense of horror creeping over his face.

"Zack?" The General queried, before the lieutenant shook his head, stopping any further words.

"What did you **do?**" Zack said coldly.

"What?"

"That look on your face... Why is Cloud at the infirmary?"

"Cloud is ill, you are aware of that lieutenant, I am sure..." Sephiroth replied, before Zack slammed his fist on the table.

"God damn it Seph!" Zack hissed, "He was fine yesterday! There's a reason he's there and I don't know whether I **want** to hear it, but so help you, you better tell me!"

Sephiroth sat back, slightly stunned at the sudden firmness in Zack's voice and his almost violent actions.

"Cloud was better off in an infirmary then he was here, lieutenant. I expect you to remember you are addressing a superior officer with that tone..." Sephiroth replied colder then he had wanted to. Zack's face had dropped into a stony glare, as he nodded.

"Yes General, of course..." He replied shortly, venom in his voice, "I was under the impression I was addressing a friend, but it would appear not. Sorry to inconvenience you Sir..."

"Zack..."

"I trusted you not to hurt him, General..." Zack said quietly, eyes flicking away from Sephiroth's for a moment, before returning, "I shall check in on the wounded and prepare a report for yourself and the captain before organizing the troops. Good day General..."

"Lieutenant, you were not dismissed..." Sephiroth said gently, before Zack glared.

"If I recall I was dismissed ten minutes ago, General. I stayed here voluntarily, but I no longer want to. Your report won't be long, sir..." Zack said coldly, saluting and promptly exiting the tent.

_...God Damn it Zack..._

Sephiroth began filling in the forms he had been reading for the past half hour, and bit back on the clear message that Zack had definetly not been in the wrong here.

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Eee, ok there we go, well that's part three. I don't know how I went with that, so naturally, reviews equal love. I would very much appreciate any reads, and squee with delight over any reviews. Thankies. hehe.


	5. Rosie

So here we are, the chapter some of you have been waiting for, and others have been complately unaware of: Chapter Four!!!!!

Thank you for all your reviews so far, and a big special thanks to **Stoic-Genius**. XD

Please remember to keep letting me know what you guys think, as the more reviews I get, the happier writer i am, and the more I write.

Everybody wins!!! XD

k, as for something a little bit different. Two other view points here and there, even though we KNOW that it's all Seph and Cloud, we all should also remember that there are other people with opinions. -smiles-

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He saw the blonde lounged out across a bunk bed and chatting casually to a stunning nurse.

_...That brat of a kid, he always gets the babes..._

He'd somehow been able to wind himself down after his encounter with the General, and had returned to his tent to retrieve the paperwork that was necessary for questioning the injured and preparing a report. He made a v-line for Cloud, fiddling with the papers in his hand, and faltering at the cheerful smile on the pale face as he approached.

_...How the hell could you do it to a person like that, Sephiroth?..._

Zack had told himself sternly that he was not going to tell Cloud of the impending heartache he was going to be suffering through, and instead determined that he would simply support him through it.

"Hey Spikey!" Zack grinned widely at Cloud, as the nurse looked up and smiled at him, "Finally found you, hey?"

"Hey Zack!" Cloud replied lively, "Yeah, don't really know how I got here, but thanks for visiting!"

"It's more of a business thing really, so get your serious face on..." Zack winked, as the nurse let out a giggle. She still however, seemed to be swooning over Cloud, and Zack inwardly groaned. Was it really not obvious to everyone else? Zack had known what team Cloud batted for from the first time he'd seen him, and yet the blonde still had gorgeous girls throwing themselves at him from all sides.

"Business? Ok..." Cloud saluted, forcing a straight face.

"Right SOLDIER, we're evaluating your health and treatment. Your lovely nurse friend will have to leave unfortunately," Zack smiled softly at the brunette beside him, and she nodded, smiling politely, before taking her leave. Zack watched Cloud as she left, and saw him almost sigh with relief.

"What's the matter, Cloud? She too much for you?" Zack winked, and Cloud blushed slightly.

"I've been dropping hints all day that she's barking up the wrong tree, but she won't take them!" He laughed a little and Zack shook his head, "I could probably get her interested in you though. I've been talking about you a fair bit..."

"Cloud, you are the pretty one here..." Zack smirked as Cloud scowled at his choice of words, "She was swooning all over you the whole time I was here. You pretty much own her!"

"Zack!"

"It's true!" Zack shrugged, looking down at the papers in his hand, "Ah, so that's the famous Rosie?"

"Famous?" Cloud queried, and Zack nodded. He had heard the name many times, and had been appreciative towards her for the kind of credit she received.

"Yes, The General raves about her cleaning abilities and gentle methods of healing..." Zack smiled, pausing though, as Cloud's face became slightly blank, a subtle smile across his lips.

"...Oh?" came the dazed response.

"Uh, yeah. He speaks of her as somewhat of a little sister to him actually, but don't tell him I said that!" Zack laughed, as Cloud looked up, seemingly shocked. Zack had been surprised himself, when Sephiroth had spoken of her quite fondly, and had never pried for information on the girl, simply deciding to collect the small amounts of information that the General spilled occassionally.

She originally had come from the slums, and joined the army as a nurse and cleaning hand. Sephiroth had been subject to a few bouts of mako posioning after visits to the lab, and had been sent to Rosie for recovery. He had spent days at a time in the nurse's company, and from what Zack had heard, she had somehow earnt the General's trust. There had been times Zack could recall where Sephiroth had been in a particularly foul mood, and had disappeared for hours at a time, returning in a calm state and smelling faintly of curative mako. Zack had dared once to ask if the General and Rosie were in a kind of relationship, and Sephiroth had almost shuddered at the thought, shaking his head furiously.

"So you... just... talk to her?" Zack had asked, shocked at the information.

"...Yes..." the General had seemed lost in thought, "She's... trustworthy..."

That was the last he had heard of the cleaner, but knew of Sephiroth's protectiveness over her and smiled at the circumstance in which he had just met her.

_...How ironic... I wonder if she'll find out about Cloud..._

Zack had always been envious of Rosie. He had been the only one whom Sephiroth had labelled as a 'friend' and he was notorious with that reputation. Yet, there were many times when even Zack had no explanation from Sephiroth when the General was lost in thought.

"So, she's like... seeing him?" Cloud asked quietly, and Zack shook his head.

"No, as I said, more like a little sister. He's fiercely protective of her. But it's not very well known..." Zack sighed, as he watched Cloud's face fill with relief.

_...He doesn't really show affection at all kid, and you are lucky as all hell to even get to him like you already have..._

"Anyway, come on, let's get this up and running, I need reports for both the high and mighties!" Zack scoffed, as Cloud grinned at him cheekily.

_...And he's damn lucky too, but... Sephiroth, you've really done it this time..._

"You alright Zack?" Cloud asked, his brows furrowing slightly, as Zack realised he had been scowling.

"Yeah, yeah, just thinking..." Zack grinned widely, before continuing the questioning of Cloud. After about ten minutes or so, he reluctantly moved to the next bed. The infirmary kept all beds a standard four metres apart in case of severe bleeding crossing between patients and disease transmitting as a result, making Zack's bed all that bit more of a hassle. He had kind of hoped for a major battle in the area, as that would bring about more wounded and the beds would be closer as a last resort for room. He trudged over to the next bed where the red headed Turk was smirking up at him.

"Hey Reno, how you feeling today?" Zack smiled, and the Turk gestured towards the bustle of nurses around the infirmary and grinned smugly.

"Feeling pretty damn good, actually..." He continued grinning, as Zack sighed, and shook his head, smirking himself.

"I think you're just about back to normal, in my opinion!" Zack snorted, as Reno waved him off with a flick of the hand. The turk was apparently in a cheerful mood, as he recounted experiences in the infirmary and details of his injuries to Zack, as the Lieutenant wrote them down. Reno continued rambling even after Zack had finished about how he thought he did in battle and his impression on Tseng. He faltered however on mention of the Commander's name and frowned.

"Hey, Lieutenant, just between us..." Reno shrugged a little, "I mean I might be wrong, but the Boss has been a bit off today. Can you just see if he's alright?"

"Yeah sure..." Zack nodded, "but why do you say that for?"

"He's been real quiet, thoughtful. Hasn't said much at all. I mean, yeah, he's a quiet kind of guy, but ya know?" Reno shrugged again, "It's just... different..."

"but wasn't he dismissed from the infirmary?"

"He was sent back. He apparently collapsed on his way to visiting the Captain, so he was ordered to stay here until he had fully recovered..."

"Oh, alright..." Zack paused, thinking over the situation, and contemplating ideas for the withdrawn behaviour.

"So yeah... don't say I like, asked about him or anything, because I don't want to look like I care... you know?" Reno smirked a little, and Zack nodded in understanding. The turks had their own methods of defining their fighters, and it was crucial for them not to appear weak in front of their superiors. He bid Reno farewell and spied the Commander a few bunks down. He would have to interview a few others before he could get there, and an interview it was. Unlike Cloud and Reno, the three injured SOLDIERs in the next bunks were basically star struck in Zack's presence and stumbled on their words continually. Zack was beginning to feel empathy for the General and how he must feel at times, before pulling himself up.

_...Arrogant so and so... I can't believe him, seriously..._

"Well, that was all SOLDIER, Get well soon..." Zack nodded, as the mousey brunette before him saluted nervously, and Zack moved to Tseng's bed, where the Commander seemed to be absent mindedly gazing in Cloud's direction. Zack coughed slightly, which seemed to draw Tseng's attention to him.

Zack now understood what Cloud had meant, as he had never really locked full eye contact with the Turk Commander before. The chocolate brown eyes were delving into his, and there was something incredibly calming and safe about being held by those eyes that Zack was surprised by.

_...Turks are cold hearted bastards... How is that possible?_

"Lieutenant?" Tseng queried, and Zack nodded toward him.

"Commander. How are you feeling?" He asked, and Tseng simply nodded, gesturing at his position in an infirmary.

"I suppose the best for this kind of setting..."

"How are the staff here treating you?" Zack asked gingerly, sensing what Reno had pointed out. Tseng was somehow dangerously quiet.

"Well. Very Well..." Tseng nodded, turning his eyes back and setting them upon Cloud again. Zack inwardly sighed at the hopeless fascination with Cloud that Tseng had, before clicking as to why the Commander may be acting so strangely. He leant closer to the Commander and locked yes with the brown once more.

"What happened with Cloud that has you so distracted?" Zack asked gently, and the Commander's eyes flickered with surprise, before calming down once again, and turning back to the blonde. He had seemed somewhat defeated in that last flickering glimpse, and let out a small sigh.

"The General brought him in early this morning, when it was still dark..." Tseng explained, and Zack faltered, not sure whether he wanted to hear what he was about to. He wasn't particularly after anything else that he would hate the General for. There was still a chance of rekindling the friendship here, but even Zack knew Sephiroth was not likely to make the first move.

"Yes, well I presume Cloud was quite ill..." Zack replied quietly, before the commander shook his head.

"He was simply sleeping. It's not so hard to notice the difference in Cloud..."

_...Only if you're paying as much attention as you do, Tseng..._

"I guess not..." Zack sighed, and Tseng continued.

"He had Cloud cradled in his arms. It was very dark, but as you know, the turks are subject to more mako in the eye region, as we need the best eyesight..."

"Yes, well, you are the sharp shooters of the league, I guess..."

"Exactly... Well, Sephiroth slunk in in the shadows, he was cradling him in his arms, his hands in that hair... before he placed him on a nearby bunk, spoke briefly to the nurse in charge at the time before watching over the boy for a little while longer and disappearing into thin air..."

_...Jealousy? You really care about Cloud that much, Commander?... Maybe you're a little more deserving then Sephiroth ever could be..._

"I'm just failing to see what the he sees in Sephiroth..." Tseng frowned slightly, "How the General acted with him last night... there was a tenderness, naturally, but it was all too... formal... Everything about it was how I would treat Reno or Rude..."

"The General is not one to show raw emotion easily, Commander. You should be one who is all too familiar with that..." Zack said quietly, and Tseng nodded knowingly, locking eyes once again with Zack's.

"First Class teaches far more then weapons skills to a SOLDIER..." Tseng agreed, before nodding at the papers in Zack's hands, "Now what else was to be determined, Zachary?"

Zack held in the flood of emotion he was feeling and simply carried on with the questioning of the turk.

_...what has happened to you Sephiroth? You go off the rails too easily..._

The General nodded in simple agreeance, hoping that he was agreeing to something worthwhile. From the smiling and relieved faces around him, he presumed so. It had been difficult for Sephiroth to pay attention, the burden of two spikey SOLDIERs resting heavily on his mind. The ever observant captain had asked if he had anything on his mind, and he simply gave a wave of his hand. The Captain had nodded, dropping the issue, although Sephiroth knew thet the curiousity was eating him during the whole meeting. There were a few lab rats there, taking notes on behalf of Hojo, but Sephiroth had gone out of his way to distance himself from the pair, seating himself instead between the Captain and one of Zack's Lieutenant buddies.

"... and did Hojo send you two for anything in particular?" The Captain mused, as Sephiroth zoned into conversation.

"Well sir, we're following one of the men around for a bit actually, with approval from yourselves..." The female of the pair piped up, brushing her hair from her eyes and reading over what was apparently request forms, "The professor was after some information, but the president ordered him not to conduct anything if you were to object to the inconvenience."

"I don't see any kind of inconvenience in the matter, personally..." Captain Peterson had chimed in, before the General cut him off.

"Which man?" Sephiroth said, anger already building.

_...Hojo you sick and twisted... you can't just leave him be, can you?_

"Uh, a Mister Cloud Strife..." The boy piped up shakily, and fell silent at the glares he was receiving off the General.

"he's one of my men, you can tell Hojo he's in the infirmary and he is not permitted to follow him like a drooling shadow..." Sephiroth replied cooly, and the boy sunk further into his chair. The girl howwever, beamed, seemingly oblivious to the General's glowering.

"Oh, he's in the infirmary? Fantastic!" she beamed, standing and walking to the General before handing Sephiroth the papers she had had in her hand. the general read over it, fury building inside him.

"If on occassion, Mister Cloud Strife is residing in the infirmary, I see fit that no distractions will occur, and permission is granted to conduct research of the specified kind with or without permission from site officers..." Sephiroth read aloud, as he saw Peterson lean over his shoulder and read the information scrawled across the paper. "Signed, President Shinra... He even put the seal General, there's no way in hell either of us can over-ride that..." The Captain sighed, as Sephiroth rose to his feet, handing the papers back to the lab rats. He bit back on his anger, trying to reassure himself that this was not the rookie scientist's fault, but still consumed with the rage that Hojo and the President would do something so brash.

"but only whilst he is in the infirmary?" Sephiroth confirmed, as the lab rats nodded, and Captain Peterson stood also.

"Well whilst he is not in the infirmary, neither the General or myself give authorisation for your tail gating," Peterson nodded formally, "So you have permission clearly to enter the infirmary after we have briefed staff of your presence. But the moment he leaves there, so do you. I believe this concludes the meeting, men. you are all dismissed."

The group of SOLDIERs and such slowly milled out of the Captain's tent, leaving only Sephiroth and Peterson behind, as the Captain gestured for Sephiroth to take a seat. Sephiroth shook his head in a polite fashion, hoping simply to get out of the tent and track down Rosie. If anyone could get Cloud out of there it would be her.

_...Or Zack, but I doubt he'll even listen..._

Sephiroth frowned deeper at the thought of his probably former best friend and his-

_...Interest? What exactly are you, Cloud? Object of my desire? Object of affection?..._

"General Sir, not meaning to pry, but there is something that isn't quite right with you, and it's affecting you at work..." Peterson said tentatively. Sephiroth shook his head slowly, as Peterson seemed to almost sigh inwardly, before saluting the General. Sephiroth returned the favour, bidding the Captain farewell and departing the tent. It was a typical walk to the infirmary. Those around him gaped in his presence, some snapping to attention, others chosing to completely avoid him in favour of something they saw as being safer. He had never realised how much he had enjoyed having Zack with him along these walks between places, Zack being completely normal in his presence and being able to provoke a smile from the General by producing jokes at his 'Godliness'. He didn't know anyone else who did that. Even Peterson still cowered before him every now and again. Nobody else had acted like Zack.

_...Except Cloud... And now they're both as good as gone._

As if on cue, as he approached the infirmary, the lieutenant emerged and locked cold steel blue eyes on Sephiroth's emerald green. He paused mid step, and approached him, before saluting. Sephiroth returned the favour, much preferring Zack's casual attitude then this formal one.

"General. I have your report if you're looking for it..." Zack held out several pieces of paper with a Shinra stamp mark on it, marked 'General Sephiroth, Shinra General Army, Special Ranking'. Sephiroth took them gingerly and briefly leafed through them reading Zack's well formed reports. As usual, he had done an impressive job, and Sephiroth nodded his approval.

"Good work lieutenant..." Sephiroth said quietly, as Zack then nodded, turning to leave, "Zack... how is he?"

The words had left the General's mouth before he could stop them. Zack grabbed the General's arm and pulled him into a nearby makeshift cabin, rage flaring across his face. Sephiroth faltered at the rare sight, and held his calm front as Zack punched the wall, before turning on the General.

"Are you an idiot or what?!" Zack spat, as Sephiroth recoiled slightly.

"...What?"

"Are you meaning to tell me you came here for any other reason then to make up with him? you came here for a reason other then to see him?" Zack hissed, as realization set in. Zack of course had not known the circumstance for the General's visit, and he had seemed to believe he was there on a casual visit.

"I wouldn't be here if it weren't for business, Zack..." Sephiroth replied calmly, wishing instantly he had of planned his words better.

"I wish I had have written in that report just how well Tseng was looking out for him because it sure as hell would have made you look bad..." Zack hissed, breaking eye contact, clearly too angered to hold it any longer.

"It can't go any further with Cloud and I, Zack. I would not want to jepordise his safety in any way..." Sephiroth replied coolly, before Zack let out a strangled yell, once again meeting eyes with the General.

"No! That's not it, is it? More like you're scared of something for the first time in your life and your screwed up attitude doesn't know how to handle it!" Zack snapped, pointing a finger and jabbing it into the General's chest. Sephiroth clutched onto it, and pushed Zack away from him. Zack shook his head slowly, and made sure to hold his eyes this time. Sephiroth could see the anger and hurt flooding through Zack as he greened up in his eyes, and struggled to contain himself.

"And that's exactly what you do..." Zack said venemously, "Everytime you think someone's too close, you push them away... Well one day Sephiroth, you're going to push a little too hard and they're going to be too far away to rope back... Consider that in your spare time..."

The words rang through the air with their ferocity and Sephiroth's ears rang with the bitterness in Zack's voice. It was as if pieces began to fall into place, and everything began to make more sense.

_...that's exactly right Zack... And for some reason i know it's going to be a hell of a lot harder to fix then even you suggest..._

"Zack..." Sephiroth began, but Zack simply shook his head.

"If you want to know how he is, it's in the damned report... Good day, General..." Zack replied coldly, pushing his way past Sephiroth and out of the cabin. He watched the back of Zack departing, and realised he would indeed need the help of Rosie, but now in more ways then one.

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Cloud couldn't help but smile when the General entered the infirmary, and turned, locking eyes with the blonde. He was all too quick to break that contact however, as he approached the head nurse. Cloud froze at the coldness that radiated from Sephiroth's eyes in that brief moment. He ached as he realised that the General may have been more capable of shutting him out then he had realised. Cloud watched them talk for a few minutes, before Rosie strolled over to the General, and Sephiroth guided her out of the marquee.

On request, Rosie had moved Reno's bed closer to Cloud's so the pair could talk to eachother during their recovery, although much of the time one would be sleeping whilst the other was awake. They were both awake however as Cloud turned to a smirking Reno, who shrugged a little.

"Didn't know that even the General had his toy girls..." Reno chuckled a little, and Cloud burned at his acquired knowledge.

"Oh, I don't think they're a couple..." Cloud replied, as Reno shrugged.

"I'm just saying, you know, I never even see him show any sort of affection towards anybody. It's like he has no visible emotion towards anything or anyone except for maybe the Lieutenant and..." Reno paused, apparently thinking things over, "...And you... I guess that makes you pretty lucky..."

"He's like... a friend to me..." Cloud replied slowly, as Reno nodded.

"As I said, pretty lucky..."

"I guess so. I used to think like you do..." Cloud sighed, "He seems like a cruel bastard, but he's a really, really complex..."

It was at that point that Reno let out a low whistle, and somewhat of a scoff.

"Are you alright?" Cloud asked, and Reno nodded, smugly.

"Yeah, just didn't realise I was born yesterday. Can't believe it took me so long to realise..." Reno shrugged.

"Realise?"

"Yeah... you got the hots for the General..." Reno smirked, as Cloud's pale skin failed him, burning bright red with embarrassment. Reno shrugged, reclinging in his bed, and gesturing sealing his lips. It was quite for a few minutes, before Reno piped up again.

"Am I the only straight guy in this army?" He sighed, as Cloud snorted at the unexpected statement. Reno would have to have been one of Cloud's most carefree friends, not fussed about what he said, and speaking his mind without a second thought. Before Cloud could retort however, Rosie had re-entered the tent, seemingly slightly ill, and without the General's tall figure beside her.

"She looks like she's seen a ghost or something..." Reno whistled lowly, "Wonder what the hell he told her, hey?"

"Looks like we're going to find out..." Cloud frowned, as she headed towards their beds, a vile in her hands.

"Cloud?" She asked as she got closer, "I'm going to ask you to come with me to the back room please..."

She forced a small smile, before helping Cloud climb out of bed, and leading him in silence to the back of the marquee and through a flap door. Cloud gingerly took a seat on one of the fold-out chairs by the marquee walls, and tensed up as he saw Rosie placing the vile of fluid into a syringe. She looked over at him somewhat solemnly, and he gave her a questioning look of his own in reply.

"Life just isn't fair, is it Cloud?" She asked, as Cloud remained silent. She let out a sigh and seemed to be biting back tears.

"He's beautiful, he really is, but he's so skittish..." She lamented, "And it's just not fair because I can see from both of you..."

She stopped though, chosing instead to release the air from the syringe, before moving towards Cloud.

"What's in the syringe Rosie?" Cloud asked cautiously, sub-consciously edging away from the on-coming needle. Rosie strained to hold back tears.

"If I tell you Cloud, you wouldn't understand..." She whispered to him, and he felt uneased by the emotional pain she was apparently going through.

"Rosie, I don't want to have to fight you, but I'm not letting you near me with a mystery fluid..." Cloud said sternly, and Rosie knelt before Cloud, brushing silent tears from her eyes.

"He told me to look after you. He said that he would hold himself personally responsible for anything that ever happened to you. He told me not to tell you too much information, because he didn't want you worried..." Rosie smiled softly as she said it, and Cloud's ears rang. This had something to do with the General, and for some reason, the thought was a little unsettling. He had seen the cold look upon the General's face when he had entered the infirmary and it had unsettled him greatly. In his moment of distraction, Rosie had taken her chance and injected the needle into Cloud's arm.

"Rosie!?!" Cloud cried, trying to pull away, but the damage had been done. Rosie shook her head slowly.

"I hope you don't hate either of us for this Cloud. The Lieutenant apparently will..." Rosie sighed slowly, standing once more and removing the now empty syringe from Cloud's arm. Cloud stood and grabbed Rosie's arm.

"What did you do?!" He cried, as he watched the fear flick through her eyes, as she pried him off of her. Her eyes then filled with sorrow and regret, and she shook her head.

"Sit back down Cloud, you'll get hurt..." Rosie urged, and Cloud shook his head, pushing past her and back into the main area. He was incredibly angry, and he must have been showing it, as those around him looked up in concern as he walked by.

_...Inject me with a random chemical and then not tell me what it is?! What the hell is wrong with you people?!_

He strode for the entrance to the marquee, but slowed in his movements. His head ached and it felt as if the world was spinning around him.

"Cloud...?" He heard Tseng call, as he shook his head slowly, trying to get rid of the sudden grogginess, "Cloud!"

Tseng had practically leapt out of his bunk as Cloud had collapsed on the ground and rushed to the blonde's side. He was unconscious, breathing heavily and apparently in discomfort.

"Nurse..." _What was her name? _"Rosie?"

The nurse rushed over and knelt beside Cloud, concern marring her features. She was clearly distressed, and Tseng's mind was forced into taking action. He leant down further and scooped Cloud into his arms, carrying the blonde to his bunk. Reno was alert as always, already swinging his legs over the side of his bed, eyebrows furrowed. Tseng knew how much of a fine fighter Reno was, and was almost amused by the red-head's constant attempts to hide his softer side. Unlike the common rumour of The Turks preferring bad ass renegades with no emotion, Tseng was quite the opposite. He had picked Reno and Rude in particular because of their dedication to not only work, but their comrades. He knew that if Reno or Rude were to fall in a battle, the other would fight to the death to protect their friend.

"Get back into bed Reno, it is under control," Tseng met Reno's eyes, making sure Reno remembered authority in such a situation, "You are to rest until you are fully healed..."

"Yes Commander..." Reno replied swiftly, adding on "But will he be ok?"

Tseng looked back at the blonde and checked the vital signals he was looking for. He was in a deeper level of unconsciousness then Tseng had imagined, and he immediately turned to the nurse, biting back on the rising anger in his system.

"You put him into a coma?" He asked rather coldly, as the nurse edged away, Tseng aware of his eyes now greening up.

"Orders of the General, Commander..." She replied shakily, as Tseng clutched at the bedding he was leaning on.

_..And I trusted you to look after him... what was I thinking... _

"You can either explain to me the meaning of all of this or send the General here..." Tseng replied significantly calmer. There was no need to lose his temper with the nurse or anyone in the immediate area. She had simply been following the chain of command. The nurse however, had shaken her head and bit down on her lip.

"That was an order, Rosie..." Tseng warned, but she again shook her head.

"I was ordered from your superior officer not to tell you until a later date..." The nurse replied nervously, as Tseng held her gaze. It was apparent that she was facing a conflict of emotion and was wishing she was able to tell the tale.

"I shall go to him then..." Tseng replied standing on still shaky legs. Mako was absorbed differently with the Turks then it was with SOLDIER, and a different strain was used in healing processes. It would take Tseng some time until he was healed fully, and it irked him. He was used to being the active character he had been his whole life. He was level headed and knew what he wanted, and what he had to do to get it. It had always been that way.

_...Except now..._

He looked down upon the blonde and brushed aside his near agony over the responisibility he felt he owed to Cloud. He had been the one to leave the blonde in the General's hands, and it seems not only had that statement been lived out in more then one way, but Sephiroth had screwed up somehow. As far as Tseng could see, that was his fault.

Tseng turned towards the door and froze, as two coated lab assistants entered the marquee with clip boards in hand. They progressed towards Tseng's position, as the nurse beside him let out a little sigh.

"Just in time too..." She whispered, plastering a smile across her face as the young students approached.

"We're here to conduct our research on Cloud Strife," The young blonde explained, looking up and locking eyes with Tseng, before blushing.

"Research?" Tseng repeated, as the girl nodded timidly, twisting her fringe in a flirtish manner. Her colleague gave her a disapproving look and turned to face Tseng.

"Yes SOLDIER, and if you had of had higher access, you may very well have been able to attend today's meeting discussing so..." The lab rat replied huffily, as Tseng held back an amused smirk. He did not favour insubordination, and yet the boy was clearly too young or naive to realise who he was giving attitude to. Reno, on the approach given by the youngster had leapt out of his bed and was at Tseng's side.

"You can not be serious!" Reno snarled, before Tseng held out his hand and gently pushed the Turk back.

"Get back into bed Reno..." Tseng said quietly, "It's quite alright, I have this under control."

Reno faltered, seemingly wanting to dish out an attack on the youngsters, but chose instead to slink back under his bed covers and watch precariously.

"I could have you reported!" The boy cried, "Trying to get your friends to attack me!"

"He acted as I, and any one you try to report me to, would wish him to act..." Tseng replied quietly, "He was merely defending his commanding officer."

"I hardly think that it's necessary to protect a Third Class though..." The boy snorted, and Tseng held back a small smile, realising now where the confusion had arrived. He and Reno had been placed in the Third class area in order for themselves to look over Cloud, and therefore were given third class hospital gowns. The boy genuinely believed him to be a third class SOLDIER.

"Are you a freaking moron!?" Reno cried from his bed, "That isn't a third class, that's Commander Kagawa, leader of the Turks!"

Reno then plainly rolled his eyes in disgust, as Tseng turned to face him with a warning look. Reno hushed himself, as the Commander smiled briefly at him, before turning to face the boy. His mouth had dropped open in silent word formation, and the female beside him had stopped playing with her fringe mid twirl, eyes wide.

"Co...Commander?" The boy asked, stammering on his words.

"Am I not speaking English?!" Reno snapped, and Tseng turned back to face the Turk.

"Reno, you are not to continue this behaviour..." He said quietly, as the red head nodded.

"Sorry Commander, it's just..."

"I understand, and I am appreciative, but hold your tongue?" Tseng sighed slightly, and Reno nodded again.

"Uh, Commander... Sir...?" The blonde girl piped up, as Tseng turned to face her, and she blushed yet again.

"Yes...? Sorry, what were your names?" Tseng asked politely, and the girl smiled.

"I'm Caitlyn, and this is James, We're studying underneath professor Hojo!" She grinned excitedly, "And this is our first field data gathering task! The only thing is that we're not permitted access to him outside this infirmary."

Tseng froze as his blood ran cooler. They were here on behalf of Hojo, so ultimately, Cloud was in danger.

_...But they can't talk to Cloud if he's unconscious...And... He'll heal quicker..._

Tseng turned back to the nurse and leant forward so only she could hear.

"How long will he be out?" He murmured, and she nodded in realization that the Commander had clicked on.

"The General said three to four days..." She replied, "After I told him that was sufficient healing time..."

"He's completely alright though?"

"He'll go through the normal pain of healing, but other then that he's fine!" She smiled, though it was only fleeting, "But in the severe rarity anything goes wrong, I am able to wake him."

Tseng turned back to the lab rats and saw them slightly leaning towards him.

"Eavesdropping is not appreciated..." Tseng frowned, as the two stepped back slightly.

"We were curious... but no, you spoke too quietly for us to hear, Sir..." the boy replied shamedly.

"Well as you can see, you will not be able to gather any data from the boy at the moment..." Tseng replied smoothly, "He is comatose."

"Really? Could we maybe have a blood sample?" the girl asked eagerly, stepping forward, but Tseng shook his head.

"Where are your papers for any physical contact with the patient?" He asked sternly, and the girl faltered in her smile, as she turned to face her colleague.

"We uh... don't have them..." He answered, as Tseng inwardly breathed a sigh of relief.

"Then you are not permitted to touch him. The only evidence you can take is vocal or observational, but no physical. Isn't that correct?" Tseng asked, and they nodded solemnly.

"Then I strongly suggest you leave the infirmary. There are sick people here, and you are not helping with their healing..." Tseng nodded towards the marquee door, "You are dismissed and may return when you have further permission. Whilst Cloud is comatose however, there is no point in being here."

"Of course sir..." the boy sighed, turning to leave. The girl lingered however, eyes sweeping over Tseng, before leaving with her colleague. Tseng was more then sure that with the girl, he could easily keep her away from the area. She was yet another to be apparently infatuated with the commander. It would work to his advantage in an emergency case where he needed her gone in a hurry. The boy was far too persisitent thoguh, and was clearly less fond of the commander then his female counterpart. Tseng slowly rubbed his temple after they had left, and turned back to the nurse.

"I'll return soon, I need to see the General..." He said quietly, and Rosie nodded in repsonse.

_...Ingenious, Sephiroth... Cruel, but ingenious..._

Tseng felt angered with himself once again at the realization that he had underestimated the General for the countless time since he had known him. He had now only just started to take in the fact that the General was full of surprises and still was capable of holding one hundred percent of the Commander's faith.

_...A natural born leader...And yet he somehow has to fight to be human..._

Tseng bit back on the thought, exiting the marquee and heading for the General's quarters.

Zack was standing before Sephiroth's desk in a rather demanding manner, his arms were crossed and he was echoing the same coldness that Sephiroth was forced to hold on several occassions.

"He won't wake up..." Zack said quietly, as Sephiroth placed the materia he had been expecting upon his desk. Zack had entered, uninvited as is per usual, and had simply said those words. Sephiroth needed not to ask what Zack was reffering to, the same thought echoing through his thoughts throughout the past hour or so.

_...Was there really no other option?..._

As he had looked up at Zack however, he wondered if the quick thinking Lieutenant may have had some solutions of his own, had they been on good terms at the time.

"Judging by the fact that he was fine this morning, and is seemingly comatose this afternoon..." Zack paused, his eyes greening slightly, "And the fact that your little nurse friend was looking particularly jittery when I walked in, I would say that this isn't a random turn of events."

Sephiroth continued to simply watch the Lieutenant, who was standing his ground and clearly expecting an explanation. The direct approach was going to cause more hassles, but Sephiroth knew that if anything, Zack would end up appreciating the honesty.

"We drugged him..." Sephiroth said simply, as Zack's eyes flared, as he seemingly held back his rage.

"You... **what?**" He hissed, as Sephiroth turned his eyes from Zack, unable to hold eye contact any further. He hated seeing Zack in such a state, and knowing it was his fault was all the more hurtful.

"Hojo's sent his assistants to follow Cloud around and collect data on him, but they only have permission whilst he is in the infirmary. He's no good to them unconscious..."

"So you put him in a fucking coma?!" Zack cried, slamming his hands down on the desk, hard enough to make the wood groan under the pressure.

"Lieutenant..."

"Here I was thinking you were intelligent! How about you just get him somewhere they won't find him?!" Zack spat, "Or is it convenient for you to endanger his life?!"

"I would never put Cloud in unnecessary danger..."

"What do you think you've done then, Seph?" Zack said venemously, his eyes flaring brightly, "Thrown him a tea party? Did you know that if you used a Mako based chemical, his chance of death increases?"

Sephiroth froze, suddenly pausing to think of what chemical he had used. The thought of Mako counteraction inside Cloud's system had not crossed his thoughts. He inwardly cursed at himself, as he strained for the memory of this morning. Zack, had, however, began backing slowly away, horror across his face.

"You don't know what you gave him, do you?" Zack whispered, "You drug him with something and you don't even know what it was?"

Zack did not wait for any kind of response, instead exiting the tent without a further word.

_...Carcilaphtyl... it's not mako based..._

The answer had clicked as Zack had left the tent. Sephiroth should have known that he would even subconsciously pick the right drug. Sephiroth had considered calling out to Zack, but reconsidered.

He did not have much time to ponder the thought though, as the Commander entered, seemingly lost in thought, and yet in a rage of some sort.

Sephiroth watched as Tseng paced back and forth before him, losing his cool composure in a rare display of anger and disgust. Tseng had burst through the tent entrance and almost marched right over to Sephiroth's desk, where the General had been scouring written reports for some kind of idea of the next step, before recounting the information he had to the General in an almost frenzied manner. Sephiroth had conversed with the Turk, providing aswers as best as he could, whilst trying to keep Tseng at a reasonable emotional state.

"Commander, it may be best if you take a seat..." Sephiroth suggested, as Tseng continued pacing, shaking his head.

"No... thank you..." He paused mid pace, and turned to face the General, "So you are saying that Hojo won't let up until he pretty much has his claws all over Cloud?"

Sephiroth scowled at the use of words and the mental images accompanying them.

"A coma though!" Tseng cried, "An actual coma! It really has come to this then?"

"It would appear that way..." Sephiroth replied quietly, mind still contemplating just where Cloud and himself stood. His insides burned with a fury he had not felt since his childhood in the labs, at the thought of Hojo and his mistreatment of Cloud. Mental images of a restrained Cloud crying in pain as Hojo administered treatment after treatment continously racked his brain and brought about an all too familiar emotion. Mako poisoning brought about a nausea that particularly affected Sephiroth, as the relationship between his poisonings and emotions were closely tied.

_...That's what Cloud is... He's intoxicating..._

There was once again the peculiar feeling which accompanied thoughts of Cloud. The feeling he got when he thought of the blonde's smiles, the spikey hair, care free attitude, courage in the face of danger and the softer and less frequently seen side. His mind was beginning to lose focus again, desperately clinging to the hope that these feelings weren't what he expected. The waves continuosly swept over the General as Tseng eyed him off, apparently concerned. The General was inder scrutiny once again from the sweeping brown eyes, and settled back in his desk chair, before realising a fitting distraction. He stood up and nodded slightly.

"Commander, thank you for your time, there is an issue I must tend to at the moment, but I will meet with you later tonight if that is suitable?" Sephiroth offered, and Tseng nodded, before saluting briefly, heading for the tent entrance.

"He's a bit that way, isn't he?" Tseng smiled softly, before disappearing.

_...You're telling me..._

Sephiroth paced slightly, drawing together his thoughts before he himself exited his tent. His trip took him straight to the infirmary, with no real idea of how he got there. He had made the trip many times, and it had seemingly become an automatic journey. He entered through the marquee entrance and paused, sweeping eyes over the wounded, and freezing up, as he saw the group of nurses around Cloud's bed, seemingly panicking.

"Rosalyn?" Sephiroth called out to the brunette, watching her visibly tense before turning to face him. Her face was white and drawn on seeing him, and he had never seen her so terrified in his time of knowing her. His heart seemed to stop, as he made his way to the bunk.

"General Sephiroth sir!" the matron squeaked, her face also paling and becoming drawn. Sephiroth ignored her however, heading straight for Rosie who proceeded to sob. Sephiroth looked over her shoulder at Cloud's bed, only to find the blonde was not there.

"The Lieutenant came in... for a visit, and the next thing... we know, Cloud had..." Rosie sobbed, "Disappeared!"

Sephiroth's blood ran cold at the thought of Zack's words.

_**"How about you just get him somewhere they won't find him?!"**_

"How long has he been gone?" Sephiroth said lowly, feeling his anger starting to rise, mingling with the panic spreading across his chest.

"A... About an hour..." Rosie stammered.

"Find me the Commander immediately..." Sephiroth snarled at the head nurse, before turning swiftly and heading for the marquee exit, feeling his eyes beginning to shine. Rosie called after him, but he ignored her, carrying on. He headed for his own tent, collecting the masamune and slinging it on his back. If Zack had been serious about his ideas then who knows where he was heading with the blonde. He would be walking though, which meant that he wouldn't have gotten too far in an hour.

_...Damn it Zack what the hell were you thinking?!..._

Sephiroth passed many people on the way, the evening group was beginning to brief on duties, and as he approached them, all had the sense to move clear out of his way. He had not realised how much his eyes had been greened until he recognised the familiar terror across the SOLDIER's faces, and the faint glow he casted over his watch as he checked the time. He had about an hour before it became completely dark, and somehow that didn't seem enough. On his way back to the infirmary, he heard what he had least expected, and fasted his pace to the marquee.

"...The thing that most frustrates me is that it was in broad daylight in a crowded area, and not a single one of you saw a thing?!" A high frequency tone echoed through the area, as Sephiroth opened the marquee entrance, locking his sights on the Commander blasting the nursing team. He had gathered them in a line, as if at a roll call and was pacing before them, his eyes flaring green and his motions swift and threatening.

"We're sorry, Commander... The lieutenant had complete access to the infirmary..." A nurse stammered, as Tseng froze, his cheeks flushed red, his anger barely controlled, gathering much attention from the surrounding injured.

"And that access include kidnapping?!" Tseng cried, his voice deep and menacing, the nurses before him cowering.

_...Tseng, get the hell out of here before you do something stupid..._

The commander however, seemingly had no intention of budging, stopping before the matron and glowering.

"It must be impressive to lose a patient..." Tseng spat, as the nurse let silent tears fall down her face.

"Commander!" Sephiroth bellowed, the entire infirmary falling silent, "I suggest you move to the outside area **immediately**!"

Tseng spun to face the General, and upon seeing the mirror of mako filled eyes, nodded swiftly, exiting the marquee.

"Word of this does not leave this marquee, is that understood?" Sephiroth firmly stated, as the nurses nodded, hurriedly returning to their work. Sephiroth exited the tent to meet Tseng, who was pacing before the makeshift cabin. He looked up when the General arrived however, not saying a word, and instead entering the cabin, the General following close behind.

"He's your first class and look at what he's done to you..." Tseng spat, adding on "Not to mention what he's done to himself..."

"He's reacted how we were reacting, just taking a different approach," Sephiroth replied sharply, still fiercely defensive of Zack, even as his own thoughts were of throttling the Lieutenant half to death. The thoughts just weren't processing for Sephiroth. He was still greatly confused on why Zack would do such a thing. Was it to spite the General or some sort of defiance act perhaps? He had been told why Sephiroth had done what he had done, and Tseng had accepted it readily. Zack of course, had a very close relationship to the blonde, the two like brothers, and Sephiroth knew that they would both go to hell and back for the other. It had pained the General to see Cloud in such a state, and he had seen the echo of his emotion on the Commander's face. It was unimaginable how Zack must have reacted. Sephiroth was slowly beginning to understand why Zack would have done such a thing. Tseng and himself had a different kind of caring and compassion for the blonde, and were both taught at a young age about action and consequence for a vastly wide area of situations. Zack was lacking this, and ran simply off his brotherly love of Cloud. Sephiroth held up his hand to silent Tseng, before explaining this occurring thought to the commander. Tseng paused and reflected for some time, before continuing to pace, nodding slowly.

"Then you had better start pulling strings or your lieutenant will be in a rather sticky position..." Tseng said finally, his eyes were finally returning to the swirling chocolate brown that Sephiroth had grown used to. Tseng shook his head, seemingly disgusted.

"If you'll excuse me however General, I have apologies to make..." Tseng said quietly, "But I will await news of his location..."

"Of course Commander. I shall begin the search now. We'll meet on the Chocobo Fields when I find them..." Sephiroth nodded, as Tseng let out a long sigh and slowly turned to leave the cabin, pausing as he rested his hand on the door knob.

"Make sure he's safe..." He said quietly.

"Naturally..." Sephiroth replied, watching the Turk with interest.

"No, I need to hear you say it..." Tseng muttered, avoiding eye contact with Sephiroth, as the General nodded.

"I want him as safe as you do, commander..." Sephiroth paused, as Tseng turned, locking steady eyes on Sephiroth's own emerald green.

"Do you really General?" Tseng queried, "Because I can openly admit that I am in love with him. I have not yet heard you say the same..."

"I'll make sure he's safe..." Sephiroth replied after what seemed an eternity, as the commander scrutinised the general's features, turning and finally exiting the cabin. The emotion marring the commander's face had caught him off guard, and on mention of Tseng's feelings, Sephiroth's own body had flared in a possesive jealousy, and aching truth.

_...I may not have said it, but it seems the feeling is much the same..._

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Zack looked over his shoulder for the fith time in as many minutes. Sephiroth would no doubt be on his trail very shortly, if he wasn't already, and he was already having trouble holding Cloud.

_...Why couldn't you be a little more conscious?_

Cloud seemed peaceful in his induced sleep though, and for that Zack was grateful. He held back the anger he felt at Cloud being in that position to begin with, and instead focused on the trail ahead of him. The journey would be a tiring one, but Zack was sure he could make it to the Mythril Mines by midnight. He knew by midnight that the lodgings for the workers there would be closing. If he could get there on time, he would have no problem securing a resting place for the night. He had considered a journey to Chocobo Billy, but reconsidered, realising that Cloud may well be on a mission there when he regained consciousness. He bagean to fume again at the General and his idea of drugging the blonde into safety. He failed to see logic behind the plan, and was reassured by his idea to take Cloud elsewhere until he had healed. Knowing the General, Sephiroth was likely to be pissed beyond pissed. Zack didn't mind, he had seen Sephiroth like that several times, and the easiest way to bring him crashing down was to stand up to him and throw on a guilt trip. Sephiroth claimed responsibility for many things which weren't even his fault, and Zack had been able to get the General into a reality check with his counter retorts. The commander was not likely to be pleased either, but Zack doubted that Tseng could even break his composure enough to green his eyes up. Of course, Reno had told him tales of missions they had attended when Reno was even in training, where Tseng would begin to flare, and his persona would waver greatly.

"He goes ballistic..." Reno had grinned, "And I was thinking he wouldn't be able to do much anyway, because he is a close combat fighter, but God, is he good..."

Yes, Tseng had a hidden darkness flitting through those eyes, Zack had seen that today. The tales were many, of the Commander's assasinations of well known figures, and the methods he used in doing so. He was also renowned for his compassion and understanding with his team members however, which was more then he could say for the General.

_...Damn it Sephiroth. You're still pushing me even when you're not here..._

Zack kicked a large stone from out of his way and watched it roll along the dirt. He could see the marshlands from the hilltop he was standing upon, and sighed. It was still such a long journey, and he knew for sure that the pathway was littered with beasts of all sorts. Cloud hung limply over his shoulder, putting a little too much strain on him for too long, as he flung the blonde over his other side, Cloud letting out a small grunt in his slumber.

"Hang in there kid..."Zack sighed, half walking, half sliding down the hill, and leaping a little to land on his feet at the bottom. Cloud then let out a low growl, and Zack snorted.

"You're a weird one, kid..." Zack snorted, before the noise came again, Zack pausing and reaching for his sword, laying Cloud down. The last had been somewhat of a snarl, and definetly not human. Zack drew his sword and spun, as a wolf leapt at him. Zack held the blade adjacent and slashed as it soared through the air. A yelp resounded, the animal hitting the deck, before another four of the beasts advanced over the hill, proceeding to surround the Lieutenant.

"Hello then..." Zack smirked, eyes following the beasts as they surrounded him and the blonde. He stood still, waiting for the wolves to make the first move. The one before him snapped it's teeth, lunging for Zack's ankles, as he plunged his sword into the beast's chest. He withdrew his sword quickly, spinning to cast a fire spell on the largest wolf as it advanced onto Cloud. It cried out in pain, before snapping at the blonde, cenitmetres from his arm. Zack dived and slashed, landing low to the ground, and plunging his sword upwards into yet another wolf's chest. He raised himself up to standing level, and froze, as several more of the beasts advanced onto him.

"Where the hell are you all coming from?!" He cried out, as they encircled him and Cloud once more. He braced himself for more attacks as they all began snarling and snapping at his ankles and Cloud's body. There was a blinding flash of light however, as several of the beasts fell to the ground, dead. It happened once again, the beasts yelping in fear and pain, before a familiar blade was seen gliding through the air and taking out three of the beasts in a fluid movement.

The General simply lowered his blade, before turning to Zack. He had been walking for sometime as the light had fallen, and thanks to Zack's fire spell had seen a bright flash of light as he had approached the area. The only light he saw now was the green tinge reflecting from his eyes onto his blood covered sword. He had seen one of the wolves lunge at Cloud, and his fears were confirmed as he looked down at the blonde, fresh bite marks along his arm. He simply looked up to meet Zack's eyes again, holding back the anger he felt, before turning back to the next wave of creatures. Sephiroth extended his hand, casting his most powerful spell on the group. Darkness blazed with light, a spectacle he was all too used to. Zack on the other hand, had gaped in awe and wonder.

"What the hell was that?!" He cried, before spinning to decapitate anohter beast. Sephiroth chose not to answer, instead scoping the area for any further wolves, before stooping by Cloud's side and checking his pulse. He seemed to be fine, except for his comatosed state and the bite wounds he now carried.

_...A trophy battle wound you won't even remember..._

The General cast a curative spell, the wound healing instantly, leaving only mild scar tissue behind. He could hear Zack breathing heavily beside him, as he too inspected cloud.

"Is he ok?" He asked tentatively, as Sephiroth turned blazing eyes to face him, biting back on his urge to punch the Lieutenant.

"You're an idiot, Zachary..." He continued to glower, as Zack's shoulders slunk and he sat on the ground ashamedly. Sephiroth felt his anger ebb a little as he once again realised why Zack had brought Cloud this far to begin with. The General sat by Cloud's side, and turned to face his Lieutenant, who's eyes were a little greened up with mako from the recent battle.

"I didn't want him there..." Zack replied distantly, "Because I didn't think you cared."

Sephiroth tried to wrap his head around the words.

"If I didn't care, I would have left him to be Hojo's play toy..." Sephiroth replied, but Zack shook his head.

"I knew you had made promises to Tseng to look after him. I figured it was an attempt of friendship with the Commander rather than an act of compassion for Cloud..."

"I agreed to look after him as an act of compassion towards him..." Sephiroth sighed, "Whether Tseng had asked me to or not, I was going to watch over him..."

Zack looked at Sephiroth with a saddened pain in his eyes, although there was a glimmer of hope across his face.

"Why Sephiroth?" Zack urged, eyes shining, "You can say it..."

"I know, but I do not wish you to be the first to hear it..." Sephiroth shrugged slightly, flicking eyes down to his once again bloody boots. When he had raised his eyes once more to meet Zack's, Zack was now staring at the ground, his eyes were calm, and there was a gentle smile across his lips. Sephiroth watched Zack for a moment, breathing in deeply before he spoke again.

"I'm... sorry..." He said quietly, Zack flicking his eyes up in surprise. The General could not blame him. He had not remembered the last time he himself had said it in such a mood.

"What for?" Zack asked, startled.

"For being the way I am sometimes..." Sephiroth replied slowly, "I know I am... difficult... to put up with, and I am... sorry for it..."

"I can't believe how much he affects you..." Zack smiled softly, "I've never seen you so emotive until the last few months. It's... surprising..."

_...Nobody knows that better then me..._

"Don't apologise in any case..." Zack sighed, "I was being as much of a prick as you were. Even worse. And I mean, look at us now..."

They sat in silence for a short time, before Zack leapt suddenyl to his feet, grinning.

"Well, let's get moving then!" He laughed, "I better get back to being discharged from the military, and you can go back to being you know... you?"

Sephiroth smiled, and shook his head, remaining seated.

"You won't be discharged, but yes, we shall go and get the Commander and Reno..." Sephiroth nodded, but Zack held up a hand.

"Nope, I'll go get him. You and Spikey can stay here!" Zack grinned, as Sephiroth raised his eyebrow.

"No point in continuing to move him now, is there?" Zack explained, "Besides, I'll tell them all that Spike's healed, and headed right on off for his mission. They need not know any different. Am I right?"

Sephiroth considered Zack's planned and smirked a little at the thought behind it, and nodded thankfully at Zack, who winked in return, waving and turning on his heel.

"I'll let Tseng know everything before we get back here," Zack called over his shoulder, "and with him being a hopalong, we'll get here in a few hours."

"Reno will help you..." Sephiroth replied distantly, as he looked back down at the blonde beside him, and gripped his masamune. He wasn't going to let a single other thing hurt Cloud whilst he could help it.

A significant amount of time had passed, as Sephiroth absent mindedly gazed at the stars above and the terrain around him. The wolves had either all been killed or had hidden, Sephiroth couldn't be sure, but there had been no threat since Zack had left. His eyes wandered back to the blonde beside him as he shivered slightly. Sephiroth cast a fire spell and got a small blaze going. Even he was able to appreciate the warmth, but stayed at a weary distance, aware of how quickly leather heated. He threw several branches onto the flames and held his eyes on the flickering light before him. Ever since he had been very young, the power of fire had fascinated him, and he was thankful that Hojo had not devised an experiment to take his love of the dancing light away. It did however, stir memories of distant experiments and the burning heat which came with many of them. Not to mention the flickering lights, and the sense of helplessness. Sephiroth had not felt that feeling for such a long time until

_...Until I saw Cloud hurt..._

He turned eyes to the blonde as Cloud made a small groan, rolling and placing his hand entirely too close to the flames. Sephiroth reached quickly to move his hands, but sapphire blue opened abruptly, as the blonde snatched his hand away with a yelp. sephiroth started at the sudden life in the blonde, and reached to stop him from writhing with his newest injury. Cloud continued to cry out in pain, looking mortified down at his hand.

"Let me heal it, cloud!" Sephiroth snapped impatiently, as Cloud's attention focused on him briefly, a sudden coldness in the pools of blue. He stopped yelping and instead turned away from the General.

"I would rather be in pain..." he replied through gritted teeth.

"Cloud, don't be ridiculous..." Sephiroth sighed, as his brain began to register the odd behavious. He had felt it course through him before he had a chance to understand it. When Cloud had been in the infirmary, he had looked over at him with a coldness in his eyes, without realising that Cloud may see it being directed at himself. He had not been surprised at Cloud's behaviour towards him, although it had still irked him beyond his own comprehension. Cloud reluctantly held out his scorched hand as Sephiroth cast a curative spell. Once the General had done, Cloud snatched his hand back, Sephiroth somewhat pizzled by the almost violent action.

"Cloud, what's bothering you?" Sephiroth asked quietly, as cloud spun to face him.

"You **drugged **me with some kind of fluid, and here I am in a place I don't know with a burnt hand and in the company of someone who doesn't even remotely enjoy my company!" Cloud snapped, "What else could you possibly think would bother me?!"

Sephiroth's eyes must have visibly widened in his surprise as Cloud sighed and looked away.

"But clearly you didn't know that was the problem..."

"Cloud, I never once said I do not enjoy your company..." Sephiroth said firmly, as the blue locked once more with his.

"You're a cruel bastard sometimes, General..." Cloud sulked, staring blankly at the fire beside him.

"Excuse me?"

"I just... for some reason thought you were different from the others, and now I have no idea why I ever believed you were..." The blonde replied coldly, and Sephiroth turned his eyes down to face the fire also, a strange feeling coursing through him. It was almost as if his own body was mirroring that of Cloud's; sullen, disappointed, ashamed. Hojo had told him that the one technique he would never learn was that of mirroring, where the individual was able to learn the emotion that their opposite was feeling, taking on the emotion themselves. The Turks were trained to have the technique down pat, but SOLDIERs were not so readily exposed to it. It was mainly used for interrogation techniques and for higher ranked officials. Hojo had tried to get Sephiroth to learn the technique, and yet had failed because of the lack of social skills the General had. Now though, he could almost feel the pain Cloud was going through, and it was helping him greatly to understand the issues Cloud was fighting with.

_...It's hurtful to think that after all we've been through, you would still think that way about me Cloud... After everything had been about you, and keeping you happy... And spending time together to get you to see me differently... I'm different, yes, but I thought you accepted that... And then you walked in and looked at me like that in the infirmary..._

Sephiroth paused, realising that he had changed his thought pattern to that of something Cloud would be feeling. Of course the blonde was upset, it looked very much so as if Sephiroth had simply lead him on.

"Can I explain why you were drugged?" Sephiroth asked tentatively, as Cloud gave a defeated shrug, before Sephiroth launched into the finer details of why they were in the position they were. Cloud continued to stare blankly into the fire, as Sephiroth waited patiently for a response. Cloud still echoed wave after wave of embarrassment and pain, and Sephiroth was longing for any kind of change in Cloud to make it stop. The blonde's eyes were reflecting the fire light, and Sephgiroth found himself focusing intently on the flames in Cloud's eyes. The sight was far more appealing to him then the flame directly, as the light danced through the shadows and pools of sapphire blue, which were glowing with their own rivalling intensity.

"I just thought that I meant a little more to you then that..." Cloud almost choked on the words, "You know? I just wonder why Zack was the only one to make the initiative to get me away from the area..."

"And you think because he did that, he cares more about you?" Sephiroth queried, and Cloud nodded slowly.

"It seems to make sense that way..." Cloud replied, "He wanted me away from them..."

"And I wanted you closer to me, Cloud..." Sephiroth said quietly, as Cloud looked up finally, "Because the closer you were to me the safer I felt you were."

"Zack got me out here and I'm ok!" Cloud scowled, turning eyes down again.

"Look at your right arm and let me know the last time you saw that scar tissue there..." Sephiroth scowled in return. He wasn't angry with the blonde, but rather frustrated with himself and the situation he was facing now with Cloud. They had just gotten past the point of being awkward, and he did not want to go back there and yet he was going to have to admit to things he didn't particularly want to.

"what happened?" Cloud asked, eyed opening wider in surprise.

"You and Zack were attacked. Had I not shown up, you may very well have been injured further..." Sephiroth replied, focusing now on getting the remaining blood off of the masamune.

"Oh, my hero..." Cloud snorted, scowling bitterly at the flames once more.

"I'll try not to care so much about your welfare Cloud, if it makes you happy..." Sephiroth replied coolly, "Considering I didn't necessarily have to walk for several hours to find you."

"you walked all the way from the base?" Cloud asked, as Sephiroth nodded.

"I was..." _severely concerned...panicked...desperate... _"Worried."

"Well... Thank you for the effort..." Cloud replied, turning back to the familiar glow of the fire. Sephiroth watched him, as the blonde's eyes slowly turned back to him. Seeing that Sephiroth was looking right on back, Cloud flicked eyes to his hands before him and traced over battle scars.

"Cloud, I don't like how we are right now..." Sephiroth paused, biting back the flow of words he himself made no sense of, and waiting for Cloud to respond.

"Mmm?"

"No, Not at all..." Sephiroth replied, as Cloud looked up once more. Cloud's eyes were warmer then they had been for most of their conversation, but his face was still cold and stubborn.

"I don't particularly like where we are either. I think we may very well die of frostbite..." He scowled, as Sephiroth held back the urge to shake Cloud to his senses.

"i didn't bring you here..." Sephiroth scowled back.

"You're certainly not helping to get me any where better!"

"We're taking you on mission..." Sephiroth shook his head in frustration, "You're like a five year old, so impatient!"

"I still say Zack's approach was better..." Cloud sulked.

"Zack's approach was illogical..."

"But Zack used initiative!"

"So did we!" Sephiroth snapped, his patience wearing thin and meddling with his own confusion.

"Zack cared more about my immediate welfare!" Cloud cried, "He loves me like a brother! You could at least try to do the same!"

"Zack doesn't love you like I...!" Sephiroth fell short, as the words stood on the tip of his tongue, Cloud seemingly shocked into silence, as his mouth fell open slightly, waiting for the rest of the sentence. Sephiroth moved his eyes away from Cloud's, and back to the dying flames, as he threw a little more natural debirs on the flames. The silence stretched out a little too long, and began to slip into an awkward stage. Sephiroth hated nothing more then an awkward silence.

"God damn it Sephiroth..." Cloud almost cried, "Look at me..."

Sephiroth reluctantly dragged his eyes to the captivating blue which were now the brightest colour he had seen them. They were not effected by a mako rage though, just a seemingly powerful blend of emotion. Cloud flicked his eyes briefly to the side, before seeming to force himself to hold Sephiroth's gaze.

"Just tell me it... Straight out..." He strained, "To my face..."

The blue was full of so much expectation and hope that Sephiroth was momentarily mesmerised, reminding himself of one of the reasons he was saying what he was.

"I..." He began, pausing, as Cloud baited his breath. The words were sticking, and he had never faced a more terrifying situation in his life. He had been raised not to know or handle rejection very well, and it was on this extremely rare situations that he wished that he had.

"It's hard for you to say, I know..." Cloud nodded slowly, knowingly, before inhaling deeply, "But... I just thought that if it would help, perhaps you should know that I love you too."

Sephiroth sat and gazed at the blue eyes before him, and the now blushing blonde, letting the words simply wash over him and be absorbed into the very core of him. He had never had someone say those three words to him, and he was beginning to realise why it was such a big deal when they were said. Cloud leant over, wrapping his arms around the General, as Sephiroth gingerly placed his arms around the blonde in his arms, nuzzling his head into Cloud's shoulder and breathing in the smell of him. It was the most incredible feeling he had felt so far, and it were as if nothing in the world at that moment could ruin it. Cloud drew back slightly from his embrace and placed a gentle kiss on Sephiroth's lips, tracing his thumbs over the General's temples, as Sephiroth held onto Cloud for all that he was worth. He was terrified that if he ever let go, something would go terribly wrong and he would again come so close to losing the one person he truly cared about enough to make him feel.

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**Author's notesss**

Urgh, I have had the flu and been pretty groggy and such, feeling like you know what and so my writing may not be up to scratch. I hope it is though!!! -grins-

Another note, delayed again! Damn my birthday. buahaha. the whole family booked me for the week, so shoot them, not me. heheheh.

And a note to all of you people who Review: THANK YOUUUUU. Not only that, but I try and reply to all reviews. My email has been dodgy lately, but i have replied to a few of the last chapter's reviews, and am working on the other replies. I do love to hear opinions though!!!

Next chapter HAS NOT BEEN STARTED. So I will warn you right now that it will take awhile to have finished. lol. I am now void of all responsiblity of slack postings. behehehe.

I really don't mind this chapter, but I dunno.

ADDED NOTE: Because I got quite a few requests for a Cloud x Tseng... Guess what? heheheh. I'm already starting work on one, so any suggestions or questions on that is also appreciated. I love writing, i love you guys, go figure. -big grins-


	6. Campfire

XD

I love you guys. XD

Thanks for the continuing Reviews and such. Very grateful!!!

So this is chapter five, after thinking over ideas and concepts and working them with the ones I've had from day one, this is the result. hehe. Thank you all again for your continued support guys. XD -hugs-

insert disclaimer about me not owning final fantasy etc. and add warning about language

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Tseng held back the bitterness and pain as he followed Zack to the General and the blonde, as he saw them sitting in apparent silence by a fire. Cloud had his head upon the General's shoulder as they approached the scene, as Tseng got an eerie feeling across him as he let his eyes take in the scene.

_...There's something that is far too right about that picture..._

Sephiroth stood slowly, laying Cloud on the ground as the others approached, and Tseng inwardly sighed.

_...We're not who you have to worry about, Sephiroth..._

"Well then!" Zack had laughed, as Sephiroth brushed himself off, standing as regally as always. He had then turned his eyes in Tseng's direction, and a mutual respect and understanding flashed between the two.

"Commander..." Came the low voice, as Tseng nodded in his direction.

"General. Well done on finding the pair..." Tseng smiled, as Zack visibly cringed.

"Thank you. Cloud is out of his coma," Sephiroth replied, "Apparently fully healed."

Relief flooded through Tseng, before an aching turmoil arose within himself. He had not been there when Cloud had woken, and yet Sephiroth had been given that opportunity. He had wanted nothing more then to be there with Cloud when he woke, to be able to comfort him and fill him in on what he had missed, and yet he also knew that for one reason or another, Sephiroth deserved it more.

"Great news then General. Reno?" Tseng asked, turning to face the smirking redhead, "Did you need help with the tent?"

Reno snapped to attention, pulling the bag he had on his back off and emptying the contents onto the ground.

"Maybe a little, Commander..." The youngster sighed, as Tseng nodded at him. He was certainly a character, and it had been a wise choice to make him a Turk. His loyalties were already planted firmly with Tseng and it made it all the more easier to trust and converse with the boy. Zack had dragged Sephiroth off a little to apparently gossip, and Tseng had no other real choice then to stoop and begin trying to figure out where all the poles went for the six man tent.

"Standard issue? Seriously Shinra needs some updated shit..." Reno sighed, before cringing at his choice of words, as Tseng smiled a little.

"I suppose they could do with an update..." Tseng shrugged a little, "But I've spent many nights in this kind of a tent, and they're more then reliable."

"They smell kind of funky..." Reno screwed up his nose a little as he continued assembling the tent. Tseng let out a small laugh, surprising even himself.

He was becoming more aware of the reason he had not wanted Cloud on this venture to begin with. He had been panicking that his own boys would not have a chance for battle experience, nor would have the unique experiences such as this with him. His other Turks were well accustomed to how Tseng ran and the kind of things he was accustomed too. They all had a substantial amount of talent, but he had known as soon as he had seen the two newest members that these would be his right hand men. Someday, he knew, that if he ever needed to leave or was forced to, Reno would be the one left to take charge. He looked over the redhead again and smiled to himself. Maybe he was a little too hung up on Cloud to notice fitting material, even as it stood before him, cursing freely at an inanimate pole. Reno looked up at Tseng and the Commander turned his eyes, unaware he had been staring.

"Sorry Reno, I zoned out a little..." Tseng laughed, as Reno shrugged.

"I don't mind being stared at. I'm kind of used to it..." Reno said rather smugly, "Usually I get looks like that moreso from girls though..."

Tseng had never been caught off guard so often as he had with Reno, and something about it was entirely un-nerving and somehow thrilling. He never ever knew what to expect from the redhead. Tseng felt his cheeks burn with embarrassment as Reno gave a snort.

"Hey, it's cool, seriously..." Reno reassured, before muttering under his breath.

"What was that, Reno?" Tseng asked curiously, as Reno shrugged.

"I told Cloud something, but just lately I haven't been all too sure about it. Which is weird..." Reno smirked a little, "Kinda disturbing too, but not entirely a bad way..."

Tseng was curious to press further but there was a clear expression on Reno's face which had said that that conversation was over. Tseng chose instead to turn his focus back to Cloud, who was stretching, and opening bright blue eyes, before snapping to focus on sight of Tseng.

"Cloud..." Tseng smiled warmly, as Cloud stuggled to focus, "Welcome back..."

Reno was by the Commander's side, smiling widely at the blonde, and Cloud was then made aware of the absence of both Sephiroth and Zack. It was a fleeting disorientation though, as he was pummeled into the ground from his sitting position by an over excited Zack. He had apparently launched himself at Cloud and was now givving him the noogy of a lifetime.

"Spikeyyyy!!!" Zack cried, throwing an arm over the blonde's shoulder and shaking him a bit.

_...This is so not the right way to wake up..._

"Hi Zack..." Cloud mumbled, as the Lieutenant locked bright blue with his own eyes and grinned.

"So, how was the coma?" Zack asked, as Cloud smiled despite himself. Zack knew exactly what to say to lighten his mood, even if all Cloud wanted to do was throttle him.

"Uh... blank?" Cloud replied, still slyly scoping out for the General. He was either not there, or behind him.

"Sounds lovely!" Zack snorted, "Good to have you back."

"Yup!" Cloud smiled back sleepily, before frowning at the lieutenant. He gestured down at his newest battle scar, as Zack shifted his weight awkwardly.

"About that, hey..." Zack shrugged, "He wanted a piece of you!"

"No shit..." Cloud muttered, as Zack whined.

"Come onnnn! It's not THAT bad..." Zack replied, "And it least it looks cool! Besides, I was trying to do right by you, ok?"

Zack pouted, before seeming genuinely upset.

"I know Zack, it's ok..." Cloud said gently, as Zack pulled Cloud into a hug.

"I was just... really worried, like..." Zack paused, seemingly distressed, "I thought you might not make it, and then I didn't know what the hell I would do..."

Cloud looked over towards Tseng who was seemingly a little shocked at Zack's emotional collapse, as Reno mirrored the stunned expression.

"I'm alright though dude, seriously..." Cloud reassured, patting Zack's back, "I'm all good."

"Yeah, I know..." Zack pulled back, smile slowly returning, "Which is awesome!"

He then jumped up suddenly and held out a hand for Cloud to take. He did so, and Zack pulled him upright, before dusting himself off. Cloud stretched out as far as he could, relishing in the almost painful strain on his muscles.

"Commander..." Came the low, sudden voice from the shadows to his left, "Why is the tent not finished?"

Cloud allowed himself to be slightly overwhelmed at the rich baritone sweeping over the area, yet was determined not to show it. Sephiroth was a high figure in the military, not to mention the public eye, and Cloud respected that fact along with his feelings for the General. Nothing he said or did was to jeapordise the General's position or image, Cloud had promised himself.

"General Sephiroth, Sir," Reno had piped up, "Cloud came to so we were all having a bit of a catch up talk..."

Sephiroth had then turned and focused th pooling emerald green on Cloud, who just about melted with the lingering gaze. Once again, Cloud was under complete control of the General from a simple meeting of the eyes.

_...Insanity, it is..._

Cloud caught the hidden flicker of a smile that threatened to break over the General's thin lips, and relished in the fact that an untrained eye would not have known any different.

"So he has..." Sephiroth replied shortly, "And yet we still have no tent for him or ourselves."

"Yes, well..." Tseng replied slowly, eyes also fixing on Cloud, "Are you all able to help?"

Cloud nodded, moving almost immediately to help Reno, before stopping at a rather defiant cough. Cloud turned to face Sephiroth, who now had a rather determined scowl on his face.

"Not you, SOLDIER..." Sephiroth commanded, "Sit back by the fire..."

"Geeee Spikey! Will you quite being so helpful?" Zack teased, bending to pick up the centre pole, "I mean, that's just plain rude!"

Zack snorted as Sephiroth fixed his eyes on the lieutenant and scowled.

"Zachary, how kind of you to offer to do the Commander's work also..." Sephiroth smirked, Zack's jaw dropping open.

"What?!?" He whined in protest, "But Sephirooonyyyyy!!"

"Reno's part too?" Sephiroth mock frowned, "How surprisingly thoughtful of you, Lieutenant."

Cloud snorted himself, as Zack stuck a defiant tongue out and crossed his arms in protest.

"No Zachary, you don't have to do my part," Sephiroth shrugged, "But of **course **you may carry the packs tomorrow."

"I'm going to shut up now..." Zack scowled, as Sephiroth smirked in triumph, working on aseembling the tent. Cloud basked in the rare display of taunting and teasing that the pair were displaying, and relished in the fact that he was, for once, not the only one to see it. Sephiroth and Zack were seemingly as close as Cloud and Zack were, and Cloud had been surprised at the brotherly affection the pair seemed to share with eachother at Zack and Cloud's quarters. Yet in public, it was impossible to tell that they were aything more then old war comrades. Reno was seemingly surprised at the display, whilst Tseng did not seem to be paying much attention at all. He was leaning back on his elbows by the fire, gazing distantly at the stars.

"Something on your mind, Tseng?" Cloud asked, the Commander smiling on mention of his name. He turned his usually captivating eyes to Cloud, and the blonde faltered at they're lack of thought or emotion. He seemed void of either, as he turned eyes away from the blonde once more.

"Always, Cloud..." He smiled softly, eyes beginning to once more throw off their eery glow, "Always Something..."

Reno let out a sigh, stretching his arms before him in a cat-like manner.

"Same as any Turk really, hey boss?" Reno smirked, as Tseng nodded knowingly, smirking slightly in return.

"Yeah, exactly right. Good luck when you have to take over, Reno..." Tseng laughed lightly, as Reno slid off his elbow, falling back onto the ground in a seemingly startled response.

"When I have to take over?" Reno repeated, Tseng nodding once again, his eyes flicking momentarily to meet Cloud's.

"If I ever couldn't be in charge," Tseng explained softly, "There were only two people considered as my replacements."

Tseng stretched out leisurely, eyes turning skywards again in a somewhat solemn fashion.

"The thing is though, that i believe your contender has chosen to be permanently out of the game, as of today..." Tseng sighed a little, "Possibly even earlier..."

"What about Rude then?" Reno asked, puzzled, "Or heck, even Laila or Patrick? They're all just as qualified..."

"But weren't considered because of their lack of natural leadership skills..." Tseng interrupted, Reno also turning his eyes skyward, as Tseng smiled.

"Wow..." Reno said quietly, "And even old bossman and yourself think I have that kind of potential?"

"Not that your ego needs the boost..." Tseng smirked teasingly at his protege, "But you're the best Turk I've seen since a younger me."

"Yeah..." Reno snorted, "And **I'm **the one with the ego..."

Tseng laughed a little, as Reno joined in. Cloud inwardly sighed at the sight, realising that if Reno only swung over the other side of the fence, he and Tseng would have a fighting chance of a beautiful relationship. He sat back and pondered the thought, as he was more and more aware of the somewhat loving respect and mutual understandings that the pair had for eachother. Cloud then returned to his usual musings of why Tseng had become infatuated with him to begin with. He didn't see himself as any different from the next person. In fact, he was quiter, stranger and more reclusive then most of the people he knew, and yet he knew he was still able to enjoy his life and inject some humour when necessary. Why had Tseng and Sephiroth been drawn towards him?

_...Maybe It's because... I'm a lot like them in that sense..._

He turned his attention back in the General's direction, to find a fully assembled tent and a mischieviously smirking Sephiroth. Cloud turned his attention to where Sephiroth was smirking, and stifled a laugh. Zack was in the middle of a rather intense sulking session, sitting cross legged a few metres away from the General, scowling and tracing patterns in the dirt with a stick. Sephiroth approached the Lieutenant, extending a hand to help Zack up. Zack eyed him off rather spitefully, but reluctantly took it. Sephiroth pulled him up, muttering what was apparently a teasing remark, as Zack swung to hit Sephiroth in mock anger. Sephiroth had then clutched the fist and flipped Zack in a fluid arch, pinning him to the ground. Zack squirmed a little, snarling at Sephiroth, before the General muttered yet another remark, and Zack snorted, bursting into hysterical laughter. Sephiroth eased off of the Lieutenant, and offered his hand once again, as Zack took it without hesitation. Sephiroth hoisted Zack up, and turned emerald green in Cloud's direction. Cloud startled a little, as he realised how apparent his staring was, but soon forgot as his trained eyes picked up a subtle smile across Sephiroth's features. The feeling that Cloud had done that overwhelmed him slightly, before his thoughts caught him again.

_...But what if I just want you to be smiling at me? What if it's my mind wanting you to feel how I feel? What if it's all in my head..._

Cloud frowned in his thoughts, aware that once again, Sephiroth had been able to play with his feelings and emotions. He was a little tired of the emotional turmoil, and it was having a toll on him already. He wasn't sure how it was possible to even love the General so much, when Sephiroth's own feelings towards him seemed so uncertain. When he had turned eyes back to Sephiroth, he paused at the confusion across Sephiroth's face. He couldn't say he had ever seen it there before, but it was confronting him as he frowned at the General. Then, a slight frown also across thin lips, and Cloud felt strangely reassured.

_...You're mirroring, aren't you? You know what I'm feeling... And you care..._

Cloud gave a smile, and Sephiroth eased into his previous state of mind, clearly relaxing as he turned back to face Zack, who had cleared his throat loudly. His clear attempt at getting everyone's attention had worked well, as he know had four sets of eyes upon him.

"Your humble abode awaits you, Comrades!" Zack curtsied a little as Reno snorted, "A palace fit for Kings, I believe!"

"Kinda stinks..." Reno smirked, as Zack faltered minutely.

"I believe of stale urine..." Zack continued in his regal performance, "And the remnants of filthy ShinRa Leaders, I presume!"

Sephiroth and Tseng coughed simultaneously, both donning identical mock scowls.

Reno was now laughing hysterically as he clambered into the tent. Sephiroth shook his head slowly, a hint of his own smirk across his lips, as he gestured for Tseng to enter the tent. Zack bowed in a spectacular fashion as Tseng passed, drawing a small chuckle from the Commander.

"I am permitted to befoul the tent with my presence, Lieutenant?" Tseng smirked, as Reno nodded.

"There is no one finer to befoul such a tent, Tseng..." Zack winked, as Tseng snorted, entering the tent, Zack close behind him. Cloud turned to Sephiroth who smiled softly, placing a hand on his back and steering him into the tent. The gesture was small, but spoke volumes to Cloud, as he scoped out the inside of the tent. Blow up mattresses were spread out horizontally across the tent, as Zack gave Tseng a tour.

"...Beds lined up so that if nature shall call any of you gentlemen, we need not clamber over eachother for an exit point!" Zack grinned, seemingly somewhat proud of his logic.

"Lovely..." Tseng smiled, amused by the hyper-active Zack, who was now explaining the logic of a centre pole to the Commander. Reno rolled his eyes in Zack's direction after catching Cloud's eyes, as the blonde simply shrugged. He was well used to this version of Zack, there was nothing new to be witnessed. Reno gave a sympathetic look, before smirking, and clambering onto his bed, pulling the blankets over him snugly.

"...And **this**..." Zack gestured to an extra lining on the tent canvas, "Is to block out unwanted noise..."

"War could break out and you'd sleep through it regardless, Zachary..." Sephiroth chimed in, "As I'm sure Reno would also..."

Reno shrugged from underneath his covers and stretched out lazily.

"No denial on my behalf..." He yawned, "I'm like a freaking bear."

"Bad quality for a Turk, surely?" Zack asked, as Reno scoffed.

"Who needs to sleep lightly, when I have Tseng to do that for me?" Reno grinned, sitting up slightly in his bed. Tseng nodded from the edge of his bed as he removed his boots.

"It's true, I don't actually need very much sleep to function at full capacity..." Tseng shrugged.

"What are you, a robot?" Zack teased, as Tseng threw his boot in Zack's direction.

Cloud smirked at the recollection of several similar occassions in his childhood. It was much like a school camp or sleepover, and everybody was acting very much like they felt it was. Zack had even proceeded to attack Tseng with a pillow, before the Commander took Zack's legs out from underneath him, Zack landing with a thud, seemingly winded. Tseng smirked, satisifed, and pulled his covvers over him.

"Ow..." Zack gasped a little, as he pulled himself up using his own bunk, and fell in a heap on his bed. Sephiroth simply shook his head, removing his shoulder armor and cloak, laying down gingerly on his bed.

"You're moving like an old man, General..." Reno smirked, as Sephiroth sighed.

"It feels that way, Reno..." Sephiroth smiled lightly, kicking his boots off as he placed his arms behind his head and stretched, staring at the tent ceiling. Cloud stretched out his arms in a cat like manner, letting out as loud yawn before moving to his own mattress between Tseng and Reno.

"Hey Seph..." Zack piped up, "Maybe you just are old?"

Reno snorted quietly, as Sephiroth turned his eyes in Zack's direction.

"I'm not **that **old..." Sephiroth scoffed, and Zack chuckled.

"You sleep like an old man sometimes..." Zack giggled, "I've seen you stretched out across your desk in a rather comical fashion before..."

"You'd sleep well if you were drugged up all the time too!" Sephiroth laughed, as a round of laughter resounded in the tent.

"Or in a coma..." Reno said sleepily, as the laughter fell quickly and Cloud could feel the tension.

Cloud cringed inwardly as three pairs of glowing eyes turned to face him, burning through him. He should still have been angry at all of them, he knew, but somehow the guilty faces of Tseng and Sephiroth alone had wiped all resentment Cloud had from his mind.

"It's alright, really..." Cloud said quietly, the fire outside casting flickering shadows along the tent's walls, "I mean, it was done for the right reasons..."

"Hmmm..." Zack said in reply, cold blue eyes turning in Sephiroth's direction, his own resentment clearly still burning. Cloud inwardly groaned, as he watched the emerald green ice up in return. The pair obviously had some still unresolved issues.

"Yes, Zachary?" Sephiroth said dangerously low, Zack's eyebrows furrowing once more.

"Nothing too much General, just still not too sure about our discussion before..." Zack shrugged, rolling onto his back and staring at the ceiling also.

"Oh?" Sephiroth said shortly, eyes still transfixed on Zack.

"Yeah..." Zack scowled further, "Still just debating whether your motives were all there... Or whether it's your own head playing games with you..."

"You judge my sincerity, Zachary?" Sephiroth said coldly, "Is that it?"

Cloud gave a confused look to Tseng, hoping that he had some idea of what was going on, but he was met with an equally puzzled look.

"I was just thinking how guilty you looked like you were feeling right then..." Zack replied bitterly, "And if you really weren't full of shit before, you'd have no need to feel guilty..."

Cloud had had enough of this. It had not been more then ten minutes ago that the pair had been making jokes and wrestling with each other. Now they were at each other's throats, and it was over Cloud of all things. Zack had been the one connection Sephiroth and Cloud had in common to begin with, and had helped to draw the pair together, and now he was seemingly pushing them apart. Cloud couldn't entirely understand why Zack would do such a thing, but had a sneaking feeling he wouldn't do it without strong reasoning. Cloud clambered out of his bed, Zack and Sephiroth both turning eyes to him, as he looked away from the pair of them.

"I'll take first watch..." He said to nobody in particular, as he picked up his buster sword, "I'll wake one of you up when I get tired. Goodnight..."

Tseng had opened his mouth in the beginning of a protest, but had stopped himself, wishing Cloud a goodnight instead. Reno was now emitting a kind of gurgle, deeply asleep and entirely unaware of any tension he had caused indirectly.

"Night Spikey..." Zack had called from his bed rather sheepishly, before rolling over on his side, turning his back on the others. Sephiroth also rolled over, laying on his back once more and resuming his staring at the ceiling, avoiding any eye contact with the blonde.

"Goodnight Cloud..." He said quietly, "Be careful..."

Cloud simply nodded, exiting the tent in somewhat of a huff, and taking a spot by the fire. He prodded the flames absent mindedly with a stick, watching them lick at the edge of the wood.

_...What are you Seph? Bi-Polar? Did you really mean what I thought you did? Or is it really all in my mind?_

Cloud watched the flickering flames dance before him, throwing his stick into the fire. His mind continued to contemplate what seemed like a thousand thoughts a minute.

"What are you doing?" Tseng said quietly, barely audible over Reno and Zack's relentless snoring.

"What?" Sephiroth said shortly, provoking a loud sigh from the Commander.

"Honestly Sephiroth..." He mumbled, eyes shining in the growing darkness, "Get out there and talk to him..."

Sephiroth had contemplated it himself, but was not sure of the right words to say, or the right actions to take. Cloud had been outside for the past half hour, the only sound heard was the occassional cough or sneeze from the blonde. The light flickering across the tent had suggested that Cloud had also placed more wood on the fire.

"I'm certainly not doing it, for rather obvious reasons..." Tseng added quietly. Sephiroth had also pondered the thought of letting Tseng speak to the blonde, and had reached the same conclusion.

"I wouldn't even know where to begin..." Sephiroth began, before Tseng cut him off.

"Have you said it?"

"Said what?" Sephiroth asked, before Tseng snorted a little.

"Clearly not..." He said somewhat drily, "Maybe this is one of the reasons he's acting how he is..."

"How is he acting then?"

"Confused, Sephiroth. Does he really know how you feel about him or have you left a blank field for him to fill the gaps in?" Tseng questioned, and Sephiroth paused. Seemingly, it was a long enough pause for Tseng to fill in some of the gaps of his own.

"So you know how he feels, but he has no idea from your behalf?" Tseng almost groaned, "Good god Sephiroth, you set yourself up for these kinds of things..."

Sephiroth lay in silence, knowing full well that Tseng was right, and yet not at all able to admit it out loud. Sephiroth watched as Tseng's eyes became visibly brighter in the dark, and could feel the anger radiating off of him.

It took him a few minutes to realise what might have angered Tseng in such a manner, before the realisation dawned on him.

_...You let me have him, and I keep making these mistakes... Then I come to you for the advice..._

Sephiroth thought of what it may have been like to let Cloud slip into Tseng's hands, and felt a pain in his chest, accompanied with a sense of loss and confusion, as well as despair.

_...If this is what he does to me... Maybe I should tell him..._

The thought was just crazy enough to work, in his mind. At least, that's what he believed in order to muster the courage to climb from his bed and pause, looking down at the still greened up Commander. Even in the dark a mutual understanding was made with an exchanging look.

"I don't own him General..." Tseng said quietly, "But nobody else ever can either. He's a free person, even if you do have a placing in his heart. In order for me to accept that better, I want to see you give him the same respect..."

"I'm not sure that I underst..."

"Let him know that you're willing to work for that placing..." Tseng interrupted, "Don't act as if you are the owner of it without showing why."

_...Public affection? Affection alone is difficult enough..._

Tseng was watching him intently, and he realised he had once again let his guard drop in the presence of a turk.

"No Sephiroth..." Tseng sighed, "I'm not asking you to go all out here. Cloud can appreciate even the smaller things..."

Sephiroth nodded, as Tseng gestured for him to get outside. The Commander let out a barely audible sigh as the General exited, and Sephiroth wasn't entirely too sure whether he was meant to hear it or not.

Cloud was seated by the fire, precariously poking what appeared to be a materia orb with a stick. Sephiroth vaguely remembered leaving a fire orb outside earlier, and as the green orb sparked slightly on contact, Sephiroth was sure that it was indeed the materia he had left earlier. Cloud had somewhat of an eye for smaller objects and details, Sephiroth had been aware of that since his first visit to the Strife/Fair residence. Cloud had begun working on the subtle movements that Sephiroth had made as soon as he had entered the door, eyes scanning his facial features for details of mood or suggestions of change in his features. It had been an eery feeling at first, as if the blonde had been mapping the General for his weakest spots. The way to break him down most effectively. Sephiroth brushed it off as mild paranoia and carried on with his visit. Even now however, Cloud's eyes were intently studying the orb, the green glow reflecting in his eyes as he held it closer to his face.

"Cloud..." Sephiroth said quietly, as Cloud fumbled with and dropped the materia in startled surprise. Sephiroth smirked a little. Another thing that had caught his eyes was Cloud's clumsiness when he was caught off guard.

"...Sephiroth..." he said shortly, not turning his eyes at all to the General. He had done this earlier, and Sephiroth had not been sure why. It was as if it pained Cloud to look at him at times. At other times, he had seemed almost scared to, like the countless others he had come across. He had liked Cloud's forwardness with him, even when he was intimidated by Sephiroth at times. But lately, if he had been unsettled, he had avoided all contact at all.

"Sorry to startle you SOLDIER..." Sephiroth smirked slightly, as blue eyes flickered in the General's direction as he began to approach the blonde. Sephiroth was still entirely uncomfortable with attempting a forced casual setting. He had been eased into casual behaviour easily before, and enjoyed it thoroughly, but the tension was too thick in the air.

"Not startled really..." Cloud shrugged, as Sephiroth sat beside him, picking up the materia orb Cloud had dropped. He looked it over as he felt the warmth radiating from the orb, flames flickering on the inside of the orb, as well as reflecting on the out.

"Have you ever used fire materia, Cloud?" Sephiroth asked, as Cloud shrugged.

"A few times I guess..." Cloud replied, prodding the fire with a nearby stick he had picked up. He was attempting to entirely block the General out, but Sephiroth knew he couldn't as long as he continued talking to the blonde.

"I find that when I use fire, or any other elemental materia," Sephiroth said quietly, "I'm guided by some kind of deeper power. Some subconscious voice, providing a strength and air, or somewhat..."

Cloud had stopped prodding the fire, apparently listening as Sephiroth worked his mind around the explanation he was trying to produce. Cloud, as if reading his thoughts had helped him greatly by contributing his own musings.

"Yeah... Something like a conscious, telling you how to feel, how to react with the control you have in your hands..." Cloud nodded dreamily, gazing into the fireplace, as Sephiroth let the warmth of the flames sweep over him. He felt the bond grow between the two, as he realised that Cloud had a complete understanding of what he was talking about. A mutual understanding with another person was rarely a concept grasped by the General.

"Yes, somewhat like a conscious..." Sephiroth continued, "Something that tells you what you're trying to grasp, and yet, what you've seemingly always known. Something familiar that you think others might have, but you have yet to experience..."

Sephiroth could see Cloud focusing his sapphire blues onto Sephiroth from the corner of the blonde's eyes, uncertain of whether or not Sephiroth was about to say anything worthwhile.

"And does your conscious ever do that to you, General?" Cloud asked cautiously, as Sephiroth smiled a little at the blonde's tentativeness.

"Yes... Quite frequently lately..." Sephiroth said quietly, eyes focusing on the orb in his hand, not quite sure whether the glow on the orb's surface was from it's own power, or the General's eyes.

Cloud returned to prodding the fire for a few moments, as Sephiroth watched him somewhat precariously. He wasn't at all sure of the normal reaction to such a situation, and in turn, did not know if Cloud was reacting normally or not.

"If I may ask then, General..." Cloud said quietly, "What would a conscious like yours be fighting for you to say?"

Sephiroth didn't know whether to be anxious or relieved that Cloud had provoked the response he would like to say, still hesitating on what the blonde was after. He moved the orb around in his long fingers and watched the contents swirl slightly faster, Cloud turning his full attention to Sephiroth now, as the General forced his eyes upwards to lock with Cloud's.

"My conscious?" Sephiroth faltered, stalling once again for time. Cloud seemed to pick up on the attempt and smiled a little, turning eyes away briefly, before resetting them on Sephiroth, nodding.

"Yep... That's what I said..." Cloud paused, his smile dropping in favour for a more serious expression. Sephiroth held the blue eyed gaze and fidgeted slightly on the dirt he sat upon.

_...Plunge in, Dive in, Nothing wrong with it... just... splash..._

"I..." Sephiroth paused again, Cloud apparently baiting his breath, before he let the words tumble out.

"I love you Cloud..." Sephiroth said rather hurriedly, his nerves catching him still in mid sentence. Cloud however, smiled widely, before frowning a little, looking away for a moment, turning back after some apparent thought.

"Are you serious though?" Cloud asked, as Sephiroth just about fell over. He didn't think he could say it again so soon.

"Are you insane?" Sephiroth replied, Cloud laughing a little, "Do you know how hard that was?"

Cloud nodded, practically tackling the General and laying a kiss on his cheek. Sephiroth was still a little awkward when it came to Cloud's random displays of affection, and gingerly placed an arm around the blonde.

"Argh..." Clouded, pulling away and punching Sephiroth's arm, startling the General in confusion.

"Argh?" Sephiroth repeated, as Cloud smiled, slightly tinged pink.

"Yes, argh... You're an idiot..." Cloud laughed a little, as Sephiroth began to reconsider Cloud's sanity.

"I...am?" Sephiroth queried, as Cloud nodded.

"That wasn't nearly as hard as you thought... was it?" Cloud sighed, "And I waited for so long... and you left me hanging there, feeling like an absolute idiot..."

"I... did?" Sephiroth queried again, Cloud letting out a long sigh. Sephiroth was beginning to feel as if he had missed a vital piece of information, before he began recollecting what Tseng said and took note of the part telling him to let Cloud know he was willing to work for this.

_...I made Cloud think... That I was messing with his head... _

Sephiroth must have visibly showed his disappointment with himself, as Cloud frowned slightly.

"Are you alright?" Cloud asked softly, before Sephiroth shook his head.

"It doesn't feel like it..." Sephiroth replied quietly, "I just hadn't realised how hard it must have been..."

Cloud let out a small laugh, shaking his head and running his fingers through his blonde spikes.

"Not really, but you're forgiven for anything you did put me through..." Cloud smiled, Sephiroth still unconvinced.

"No, really, I don't know how I can make it any better..." Sephiroth deflated slightly, before Cloud leant in and pulled Sephiroth towards him, pressing his lips gently against the General's own, Cloud's warm breath caressing his skin as Cloud reached up his hands to cradle Sephiroth's face in his hands. He pressed his lips a little harder against Sephiroth's own, before flicking his tongue out, asking permission to deepen the kiss. Sephiroth's head was filled with voices, none of which he recognised, as wave after wave of pleasure and unknown emotions coursed through him. His brain had seemingly stopped all other function apart from the kiss he was being lead into. He reached out and wrapped his arm around Cloud's waist, pulling him closer, as his other wove nimble fingers into Cloud's hair. Cloud pressed his tongue into Sephiroth's mouth, caressing Sephiroth's own, and probing the inside of his cheeks in the process. Sephiroth returned the favour with his own gentle actions, clutching slightly tighter onto cloud's uniform. All too soon however, Cloud pulled away, Sephiroth trying desperately to kick start his mind back into action. He opened eyes to a smiling Cloud, who then proceeded to nuzzle into Sephiroth's shoulder and hold on for dear life.

"Who are you kidding?" He said gently, "You can't make that any better... So there can't have been anything wrong to begin with..."

Sephiroth let out a long low breath, familiar again with the creeping feeling that things would not always be this perfect.

It was like a car crash for Tseng. It was horrible to see, and yet too painful to look away. All he'd done has sat up on his bed and stretched, his arms aching, before his eyes fixated on the scene outside the tent. Sephiroth had left the entrance open, and Tseng had quickly wished he hadn't. Cloud had reached out and pulled Sephiroth towards him in a sincerely loving and passionate kiss. The commander had frozen, trying desperately to remind himself that he was supposedly ok with this, as he watched Sephiroth hold the blonde in a tentative embrace. His chest burnt, and his eyes prickled with an oncoming pain.

_...I haven't cried since I was nine years old... Why would I need to now?_

He pulled his legs up to his chest, continuing to watch the exchanging of affection between the pair, and lamenting at the fact that it wasn't his arms holding Cloud, or his lips pressing against the blonde's. Somewhere inside him, Tseng presumed, he had always believed that Sephiroth wouldn't be able to pull through. Tseng had been raised and trained to get what he wanted, and not to take no for an answer. Persistence was the word drilled into his head, as the key element of success. He had been determined that if he stuck by Cloud long enough, the blonde would be swayed to him, and it would be his own thin fingers lacing into the golden locks of hair at that moment. Now, as he watched Cloud nuzzle into Sephiroth's side, all hope had faded, and he was left with a gaping hole of a longing that could never be fulfilled. He mustered up all the power he could, and wrenched his eyes away, laying back on his bed and rolling onto his side. He froze, as a pair of smokey blue eyes glowed back at him. Somewhere between his stretching and heartache, Tseng had neglected to hear the noise decrease as his comrade had woken.

"It was unavoidable really... Surely you expected it?" Reno said quietly, as Tseng closed his eyes slowly, trying desperately to block the world out. He heard a ruffle , and slowly reopened them to find Reno in Cloud's bed, sighing softly.

"Some things can't be avoided Commander... Persistance gives way to acceptance at the toughest of times..." the redhead shrugged slightly, "The turk motto isn't always gonna be right, you know?"

"...Yes..." Tseng said quietly, "But it just leads me to wonder of the different paths that might have..."

"You're kidding right?" Reno snorted, "Everyone's got the one path. Whether you reckon that you're offered choices or not, you'll still end up in the same position. Khe sera sera: Whatever will be, will be."

"Didn't know you were the philisophical type..." Tseng smiled a little, and Reno shrugged.

"Usually not, but my dad used to say that crap all the time..." Reno replied smoothly, as Tseng let out a small laugh.

"Reassuring advice then?" Tseng smiled, and Reno nodded.

"Yup. Best advice you'll ever get is from me."

Tseng frowned a little, as he heard the familiar laugh of Cloud outside, and moved to sit up, before Reno grabbed his shoulder and pulled him down.

"Do you really wanna do that, Sir?" Reno sighed, as Tseng closed his eyes once again, pain burning through him.

"It wouldn't be out of line to talk about this, Sir..." Reno said quietly, as Tseng slowly shook his head. He had to admit, it embarrassed him overall. He had fallen, and he had fallen hard for someone who had no feelings in return. To make it worse, he had let the one person he knew for sure would lure him away become closer to him. He had given the go ahead without truly being ok with it.

_...Is it too hard for me to be a little more selfish now and then?_

Tseng let the cool wind that now blew gently through the open tent brush over his skin, closing his eyes and blocking his mind of thoughts of the outside conversations and

_...God knows what..._

"That's just plain rude..." Reno said quietly, as Tseng opened his eyes to face him, a scowl across the redhead's features. Tseng searched for comprehension of the statement, but found none. had Reno been angry with him over his refusal of an explanation?

"What's rude, Reno?" Tseng pressed slightly, burning green-blue eyes turning to lock on his own.

Well, they both know how you feel, and yet neither shows the courtesy to keep it down?" Reno scowled further, as the murmured conversation outside continued. Tseng smiled slightly, the statement almost too honest and hard hitting.

"Sorry boss..." Reno replied quietly to the gesture, stretching languidly out on his bed, staring aimlessly at the canvas above.

_...Reno need not know..._

None of them needed to know how long Tseng had longed for Cloud, he had determined. From the training sessions where Sephiroth, Shinra and himself had stood in the boxes and determined the plausible from the hopeless. The spikey blonde mass of hair amongst the others, determination etched across fine pale features. Then Cloud graduating, the timid blonde with the lively grin perched up on stage, accepting a sword double his size with little worry about it. Then the painful experience of finding Cloud bloodied and injured on the asphalt, Sephiroth threatening his attacker. Finding out that Cloud would accompany him on their journey had increased the pain, sending the commander into a panic, confronting Sephiroth over the matter in the General's office, knowing that any further contact would be a downfall to a situation arising such as this. Tseng stopped his trail of thought, realisation springing to mind.

_...Training, graduation, under attack, accompanying missions... Sephiroth... You were there all along..._

Mental images flashing through his mind of previous conversations, before he truly knew how the General felt, flashed through his mind.

_"Cloud's growing stronger in his training, president... His physique is becoming..." The General had paused briefly, "...is becoming more of a SOLDIER's." _

_"Hey General, Didn't you say that Cloud had beaten that Turk in his trials?" Zack had grinned, as Sephiroth nodded, smiling ever so slightly. "Yes... He's certainly one to catch an eye. He's talented..." Sephiroth had murmured in reply. _

_Emerald Green eyes swirling as a young blonde had dived and swung with his weapon, seemingly ensnared by the fluid like movements of the Cadet. _

_Monthly Cafeteria functions where higher officials would eat in the cafeteria with the lower_ _ranks. Where the General's food lay abandoned, preferring to feast instead on the sight a few tables away..._

"I'm such a fool..." Tseng said bitterly, realising now, that he had overlooked the General's attraction towards Cloud for longer then he had ever even imagined. He had always believed that his attraction had been brewing for longer then Sephiroth's had, and had seen it as somewhat of a blow when Sephiroth had gotten there first.

_...He's just as deserving as I thought I was..._

"No you're not, Sir..." Reno replied, seemingly frustrated, it's just... unfortunate... I mean, you can tell that those two kind of suit each other."

"I suppose so, yes..." Tseng said slowly, recalling the moments of fleeting happiness that the two had brought out in eachother.

"Envy's a bitch, I know..." reno shrugged, "But there's a lucky guy out there just for you I'm guessing, right?"

"I suppose so..." Tseng smiled slightly at Reno's attempt to cheer him up. Reno gave a small shrug.

"It's not a full blown smile, but it's a start..." Reno smirked, patting Tseng on the shoulder, rolling back onto his back, eyes drooping slowly closed.

_...Yes... It's a start..._

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**Author's notes**

Gah!!! I hate hurting Tseng, I love him more then life. hehehe. I had another fire scene, I'm sure you noticed. I took that from my own love of sitting by a fire and having my own thoughts literally dragged from me. Something about fire is so pretty. It's such a nice thing to look at, but you know it's so dangerously lethal. Another reason I added it, because Fire kinda reminds me of Sephiroth. hehe. Enough of my rambling, anyway.

So yes, another chapter painstakingly written. Is it me or am I losing my charm? -sad face-

ANYWAY!! I'm trying extra awful hard to get you the goods, so I am sorry for any delays, and I bet Elli hates me by now. hehehe.

Reviews Equal love!!! heheheh.


	7. Chocobo

Oh God, please somebody save me from my homework...

FIVE HOURS A FREAKING DAY. CHILD LABOUR I TELL YOU!!!

On another note, Thanks for the continuing reviews, you guys make me feel better on my crappy days. hehehe. THANK YOOOOU.

So yes, I am awful when it comes to updates, I really am. Lucky I've been getting these reviews or it would be months between posts. hehe... -urk-

I'm back at school, in case you couldn't tell. -frowns-

And it's year 12, meaning that a lot of the writing I do will be between labouring on meaningless essays etc.

ANYWAY, onwards! XD

This chapter is little snippets over a period of time, rather then day after day, like they usually are. I just wanted to move it on a bit. hehe.

Sooooo...

-insert disclaimer about me not pwning FF7, Squeenix or any of their characters blah blah -sob- -

-insert **Warnings about Yaoi and language **and be sure to make it in bold, so people read it-

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_...Just pat the damn thing..._

Zack was watching from the window as Tseng and Sephiroth stood by the holding pen, where a stunning black chocobo was bowing it's head. Tseng reached out almost immediately, scratching behind appreciative ears, as the bird nuzzled his palm. Sephiroth continued to stand in the same position however, arms crossed, watching the bird with some curiosity.

_...PAT IT... God damn it Sephiroth, take a hint here..._

Cloud perched himself on the couch next to him and gazed out at the pair also. The group had arrived at the chocobo stables a week earlier, Tseng and Sephiroth seemingly rather content with eachother. Tseng had emerged the day they had left from the tent, looking nothing short of broken. As the journey had progressed however, Reno had constantly chattered to the Commander, telling jokes and insulting Rufus Shinra, with whom Tseng was particularly not fond of. Reno had his own theory of Rufus's sexual life, pointing out the fact that he spent 'far too much time in the chocobo stables' and seemed to be one who enjoyed 'ruffling feathers' or so to speak. Tseng had been in hysterics for a good half hour as Reno constantly fed off the Commander's encouraging laughter.

"He looks kind of awkward, hey?" the blonde smiled, as Zack nodded slowly, "You alright, Raven?"

_...Raven? Been awhile..._

Zack couldn't help but smile, as he recalled the story for his unique nickname from the blonde.

"Buttercup..." Zack had said, smiling widely, as Cloud peered quizically over his study book.

"Buttercup?" Cloud repeated back to the hyperactive SOLDIER.

"Yep. Your hair. I'm going to call you buttercup now..." Zack smiled, sticking his tongue out.

"You call me spikey, don't you? Same reason?" Cloud asked, raising an eyebrow, "Do you have a hair fetish or something?"

"Buttercup can be for special occassions then! I can cheer you up with it or something..." Zack grinned, as the blonde scowled menacingly, returning to his book. There were a few moments of silence. Then

"Raven."

"Raven?" Zack repeated, Cloud nodding.

"What's Raven?"

"The colour of your hair. Reminds me of a Raven..." Cloud shrugged, "So that can be your cheer up name if hell freezes over and you become unhappy."

Zack turned to Cloud, smiling widely.

"Raven?" he asked, and Cloud shrugged.

"Hell just looked a little icy for a second there..." Cloud smiled slightly, eyes turning back to look out the window again.

_...You always know, damn it..._

Zack watched as Emerald Green eyes turned in their direction, the blonde beside him seizing up slightly.

"Holy crap, it's like he knew what I was thinking..." Cloud laughed, nodding in the General's direction. He then mimicked stroking the bird, and Sephiroth raised an eyebrow. Cloud repeated the action, and Sephiroth reluctantly faced the bird, holding out his hand and stroking the fathers atop the bird's head. His slight smile was visible even from their distance, as he exchanged words with Tseng.

"You'd think he'd never pet a chocobo or something..." Reno snorted, as he leant over Zack's shoulder, investigating what the others were looking at.

"I don't think he has, Ren..." Zack shrugged slightly, Reno letting out a whistle.

"Well I'll be damned..."

"He always hit me as an animal person..." Zack smirked playfully, Reno snorting again.

Zack smiled a little distantly, the memory of a few nights ago etched into his mind. Zack had gotten up that night, and crept out of the tent, Reno and Tseng snoring lightly. He had smiled as he watched Sephiroth run nimble fingers gently through blonde spikes, Cloud curled up by his side, head resting on the General's knee. The protective look in Sephiroth's eyes had swept any of Zack's anger away, as Sephiroth tentatively continued his hair stroking, seemingly fascinated with the simple contact. Zack had then felt the usual pang of guilt that he received being around Sephiroth. He was so different from anyone he had ever met. He lacked so much in interpersonal skills that when he was approached with such situations, his actions were as strange and alien as the experience was to him. Zack could remember going out on a trip to the forests near junon, Sephiroth accompanying him and Captain Jameson. They'd come across a slain deer, slumped beneath a tree. Monsters in the area had been particularly brutal in their attacks on the loacl fauna, and more recently the townsfolk's cattle. The deer had had a foal with it, who had stood and approached the three of them, Zack cooing to it, as Jameson ran a hand down it's back,a slight smile tracing his lips.

"Oh, this is just soooo cute..." Zack had grinned, as the foal had leant towards Jameson and licked his hand, provoking a full blown grin from the captain.

"Why?" Sephiroth had asked.

"What do you mean 'why'?" Zack had frowned slightly, "It's just... cute..."

"It's so small... and vulnerable..." Sephiroth had replied, confusion flitting across his features.

"Pat it..." Zack smiled, as Sephiroth reached out cautiously to run tentative fingers along the animal's back. His eyes had widened slightly, and a trace of a smile licked at the corners of his mouth.

"It's... soft..." The general had said quietly, continuing to stroke the fur, seemingly mesmerised with the action. So childlike, he was. Full of wonder and curious delight. A wave of calm had seemingly radiated from the General at the simple action.

..._Much like what he was doing with Cloud..._

"Whatever you think, yo. But for real," Reno gaped, drawing Zack back to his senses, "Fancy never petting a chocobo. I mean, you think his parents would like, take him to the zoo as a kid or something, you know?"

Zack remained silent. Partly out of being lost in thought, and partly out of annoyance towards Reno. Sephiroth wasn't normal, Zack presumed it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure that out. He just wished more people were like Cloud in the way they treated Sephiroth. Rather then see him as strange for not having experienced these kinds of things, all Cloud worked towards was helping him achieve a somewhat normal life.

"At least my parents did anyway..." Reno shrugged, "Hey blondie?"

"Hmm?" Cloud dragged his eyes away to scowl at the redhead. Blondie was one of Cloud's least favourite nick names.

"How's about I kick your ass in a spar?" Reno smirked wickedly, the blonde raising an eyebrow. There was then the usual exchanging of threats, resulting in a hyperactive Turk sending a small charge through the Third Class with his EMR. Cloud, once he regained his senses leapt off the couch and after a quickly retreating Reno. Zack watched with his usual curiosity. It had been a delight to see Cloud interacting with people his own age, like Zack had always wished. Cloud was known to seek out the older and more experienced company of his senior officers, rather then the taunts and hurtful attitudes of the younger cadets. What made the experience even more surreal was that

_...Reno is a turk... Turk and SOLDIER, like brothers in arms..._

Sephiroth and Tseng both turned their heads to the door as their rookies burst through it, Reno sprawling along the grass as he missed a step. A chocobo let out a disgruntled 'wark!' as he skidded to land by it's claws. Tseng shook his head slowly, Sephiroth smirking.

"He's certainly... graceful..." Sephiroth drawled, as Tseng groaned slightly.

"Yes, well, I'm trying..." He shrugged, "He has the incredible potential to become entirely elite. Top of the ranks, I know that. He's just too cocky for his own good."

"He's quick..." Sephiroth observed, as Reno recoiled from the ground and leapt to his feet, before Cloud could even reach him.

"He's thin, kind of small really," Tseng added, "Which would explain it."

"How does he work with the others?" Sephiroth queried, as the black bird nuzzled his hand and made appreciative purring noises. Tseng smirked, as Sephiroth's mouth curled into a lazy smile.

"Very well. He's particularly suited to Rude. I chose both of them to be partners because they function better together then they do apart, if possible..." Tseng smiled, as Reno stooped swiftly, kicking Cloud's legs out from underneath him. As Cloud tried to do the same manouvre on the turk however, Reno leapt into the air, landing beside the blonde. He snapped around, EMR in hand, and held it against Cloud's throat for the second time that day, before sending a small charge through the blonde and standing on his chest. Sephiroth let out an amused 'hmph' and nodded slowly, Tseng feeling the pride bubble up in him.

The week had been much like it was now; Relaxed, educational, and a unique opportunity for Turk and SOLDIER to spar together in friendly circumstance. Tseng had slowly been working up to acceptance of Cloud and Sephiroth's relationship, more so as the couple eased into a more comfortable stance with the others. Sephiroth had even once been seen with his hand on the blonde's back, whispering into the blonde's ear. The General was still seemingly edgy with showing affection, and both he and Cloud slept in seperate rooms.

_...That will most likely change when we hit Midgar..._

Cloud seemed all too happy in simply being around Sephiroth, and the simple fact that Cloud was clearly so content and at ease brought Tseng's mind to a gentle close.

_...he needs Sephiroth... Sephiroth needs him just as much... and he's learning that..._

He watched as Sephiroth walked over to the pinned blonde and picked Reno up by his collar, holding out an arm for Cloud to take. The redhead swiped at the General playfully, Sephiroth simply shaking his head.

"I think that was an offer to duel, General..." Tseng smirked, Reno's face draining of all colour as Sephiroth set him down.

"I'd say so, Commander..." Sephiroth replied, drawing the masamune as a skittish Reno floundered for the cabin.

Tseng watched with amusement as Reno appeared at the window, perching beside Zack quite comfortably. Tseng shook his head slightly, as Reno gave a small shrug. The Commander became aware of a pair of blue eyes focusing intently on him, and turned to face Cloud entirely.

"Are you alright SOLDIER?" He asked, as the blonde smirked slightly.

"I was just curious about something..."

"Which would be?"

"I've never seen you two spar eachother..." Cloud shrugged, as Sephiroth quirked an eyebrow. Tseng knew exactly what that meant. Sephiroth was up for a spar, and he knew just how this would play out. He recalled the previous spar they had had, Sephiroth was all smirks and agility. It had been no more then a few months earlier, and it was around midnight, during patrol hours.

Tseng was out making his rounds at the turk headquarters. He had been told that the area had been breached earlier in the day and to stay on high alert for any suspicious activities. He had done as ordered, pacing the perimeters and using his senses to the best of their abilities. His presence sense had perked up just in time, as the masamune had swung before him, Sephiroth seeming to glide through the air and land gracefully before him.

"Perimetre breach?" Tseng had smirked, and Sephiroth had returned the favour, giving a small nod of the head.

"Quite good with the senses, Tseng..."

"Feeling up for a spar are we, General?" Tseng had asked casually, as the silver haired assasin cocked an eyebrow and waited for Tseng to make the first move. Tseng had wisely drawn his own EMR. No matter how skilled Tseng was with his hands, a weapon of such length as the masamune was useless to even attempt fighting bare handed against.

Sephiroth was standing now, eyebrow still cocked in the same testing way, as Tseng drew his EMR and smirked.

"What's the score, General?" Tseng asked, Sephiroth letting out a small bark of laughter.

"I believe five to two?" Sephiroth shrugged slightly, as Tseng smirked, Cloud gaping slightly.

"Wait, what?" the blonde paused, Tseng smirking.

"He's not unbeatable. He has lapses in controlling emotion. Except that they are over the strangest things. Things that I would not succumb to..." Tseng explained, Cloud seemingly confused.

Sephiroth had stood there on the brink of Turk headquarters, Tseng holding his EMR against Sephiroth's masamune, as Emerald Green flashed dangerously, contrasting with calming brown.

"What brings you here, Sephiroth?" Tseng asked, before pushing the General away and flipping backwards as the masamune lunged. His foot hit metal and pushed the blade away, Sephiroth smirking.

"I need to ask a favour actually..." The General smirked, Tseng swinging to clash once again with the masamune.

"Oh?" Tseng replied shortly, Serphiroth shrugging slightly.

"Hojo's sending me away on mission for a few days. I'm not too particularly fond of going, but it's apparently a must..." Sephiroth swung the masamune and sliced off the bottom hemming off Tseng's cloak, a chill reverberating through Tseng's spine.

_...Too close..._

"And?" Tseng had replied, swinging for Sephiroth's feet as the General somersaulted backwards and landed rather cat-like, eyes still fixated on the Turk Commander.

"Keep an eye on Zachary for me?" Sephiroth shrugged slightly.

"That's a given..." Tseng replied curiously, "What else?"

"Cadet Strife. He's taking lessons with me, I need him to be kept in top form."

"Ah..." Tseng had replied briefly, unable to do much else rather then avoid the barrage of blows coming from the masamune.

_...Bastard... I'll never get a decent hit..._

"So you want me to look after a First Class and his shadow?" Tseng smirked, "Surely Zack can settle with the no-hoper?"

Sephiroth swung viciously at the Commander, not bothering to take care with his steps and faltering slightly on usually steady heels. A smirk crept along Sephiroth's lips as he leapt back from an attack.

"Surely there's not something special about this one?" Tseng smirked, as Sephiroth seized slightly, just enough for Tseng to send an electirc charge through the General, dropping him to his knees.

Sephiroth watched Tseng's eyes haze slightly, and knew he was lost in thought. Sephiroth had no idea that he had had a weakspot before Tseng had so casually pointed it out to him during their last spar. He had been caught off guard too easily with his troubles of identifying emotion. His eyes momentarily flicked to the blonde to his left, who's eyes were fixated on the Commander. A pang of envy rang through the General and he shook his head at himself. Cloud had become a weakness, and he needed to make sure that his affections for the blonde were kept in line and controlled.

"Ready, Commander?" Sephiroth asked, as a familiar redhead and cocky Lieutenant appeared by the door.

"This is gonna be epic, yo..." Reno raised his eyebrows at Zack who shrugged.

"Seph's gonna kick ass. It's only as epic as always..."

"Tseng's got a decent style of fighting, you know?" Reno shrugged smugly, "Wouldn't surprise me if Tseng could win this. Seph's apparently got some kind of weakness."

_...I believe he shares the same, but it alters slightly..._

Sephiroth had had his suspicions. It was apparent that Tseng had become increasingly detached from Cloud, but it did not make him any less vulnerable to emotional attack. Sephiroth was just about ready to test his theories.

Tseng moved forward, smirking the whole time. Sephiroth returned the favour. The EMR nearly hit his skin, but the masamune had come up too quickly, efficiently blocking the swift attempt. Sephiroth said nothing, Tseng also remaining silent as the pair simply smirked and tested, planning moves, visualising the opposition's. Sephiroth turned, spinning Masamune with him and knocking Tseng back a few feet, the Commander still holding his balance.

_...He's gotten quicker..._

"Is that a modified weapon, Commander?" Sephiroth mused, Tseng smirking wider.

"Possibly..." Tseng replied smoothly, "Edgy to find out what it can do, are you?"

Sephiroth gave a half hearted roll of the eyes, as Tseng launched again, clashing steel against steel. Their faces were only a few inches apart, Sephiroth smirking slightly as Tseng radiated an air of arrogance.

_...keep it up, commander... you're only building a downfall for yourself..._

"Tseng..." Sephiroth said quietly, kicking the Commander backwards as he attempted a dive lunge.

"Mmm?"

Sephiroth spun and clashed weapons again. They were closer now, Sephiroth a breath away from Tseng's ear.

"He's a pretty little thing, I know..." Sephiroth smirked, Tseng quirking an eyebrow, "I don't blame you for wanting him..."

"I have no interest in Cloud..." Tseng replied, Sephiroth letting out a small bark of laughter.

"I meant Reno, actually..." Sephiroth replied casually, the Commander slipping his grip on the staff and giving enough of an opportunity to Sephiroth for the General to disarm him. He then struck Tseng's chest with the hilt of fis blade, knocking the Commander to the ground, and held masamune centimetres from his chest. Tseng's eyes were still widened in surprise, and it was the only thing that Sephiroth needed.

"Good fight, Commander..." Sephiroth smirked, Tseng's expression not faltering from startled surprise.

_... Ahhhh... I see..._

Zack inwardly shook his head. Sephiroth clearly underestimated his hearing. Had the General forgotten that Zack was a First Class? Zack's hearing was far more in tune then anyone's there, apart from Sephiroth himself, and Sephiroth damn near always had that in mind.

_...Tseng... and Reno...? _

Zack pondered the thought, smirking to himself, as he clapped for Sephiroth, who was now assisting in helping Tseng off the dirt.

"You owe me twenty gil..." Zack shrugged, holding his hand out to Reno. The redhead gave a rather sour look, before handing over the money.

"I don't get it. Tseng was in top shape, and then he hits the dirt like a sack of crap..." Reno pouted, Zack swinging an arm around him and patting his shoulder.

"There there, Red. Life isn't so hard..." Zack cooed, pinching the redhead's cheek. Reno swatted his hand away, scowling.

"I just lost 20 gil, yo... Life is pointless..."

"And money is meaningless..." Tseng chimed in suddenly, Sephiroth nodding swiftly in apparent agreement. Zack didn't know what was worse: Sephiroth and Tseng constantly at each other's throats or constantly agreeing with eachother. The world was coming to an end, he just knew it. While he was all fine and happy with getting along and having a bit of a laugh with Reno, the idea of a Turk and SOLDIER harmony, especially between Tseng and Sephiroth was inconceivable. Yet, here they were, almost identical in their mannerisms and mirroring the other in several ways.

Sephiroth turned his gaze and met Zack's, as the Lieutenant smirked slightly, quirking an eyebrow.

_...I know, Lieutenant, you didn't get to where you are now without mako enhanced everything..._

Sephiroth had wanted Zack's reassurance confirmed as much as his own. Zack clearly had a concern that Tseng was very much attached to the blonde. Until recently, Sephiroth had too.

"Oi bossman," Reno chimed suddenly, both Sephiroth and Tseng turning their attentions to him. Reno was looking towards Tseng however, as he withdrew his EMR.

"You haven't sparred with me since I got initiated. Still got any kick in you?" Reno shrugged, Tseng smirking slightly.

"Must you always fight, Reno?" Tseng sighed, the redhead nodding confidently.

"Always be prepared and all that stuff, you know?" Reno shrugged again, radiating cockiness. He turned to Sephiroth, opening his mouth to speak, before seizing and hitting the ground, eyes wide open.

Tseng had indeed gotten quicker, succeeding in taking Reno out before the redhead could even raise arms in defence. Tseng was standing by the incapacitated redhead, still sending a stun charge through the rookie, and chuckling quietly.

"Guess you weren't prepared..." Tseng replied, finally removing the rod from Reno's side, allowing the redhead to speak. He gasped at first, before blinking rapidly. Sephiroth had always been uneased at the sight.

_...Did I ever look so... lifeless... When Hojo did this to me?..._

Reno gained his composure and snorted, before taking a swing at Tseng. His stomach tightened even at the thought of Cloud ever becoming subject to Hojo and thanked his logic in deciding to come here for the hundreth time that day.

Sephiroth pulled the paperwork from his pocket. He had kept a copy of the mission brief he had composed and sent to Shinra, making sure that his cover wasn't blown by leaving out any of his suggested mission requirements. He'd read recently that Hojo was looking to extend his research further onto animals, and he was eyeing off the suitability of the chocobo as a candidate. Sephiroth believed the birds to be majestic animals, and had taken a liking to the dark outcast bird of the flock in the pen. The blonde beside him had certainly showed a deep love for the birds, and apart from appearance, Sephiroth assumed he knew why. The birds were known to travel alone, and bond to only several others of their species throughout their entire lifetime. They were reknowned as the only animals capable of expressing near human emotion. They were highly intelligent animals, and yet, were still somewhat of the outcasts of their world.

_...Maybe the nickname "Choco" for Cloud had more meaning then he realised..._

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cloud walked silently beside the General, as they monitored the changes in claw prints along the dirt. This had been about the only real research Cloud had participated in in regards to the Chocobos. Sephiroth seemed to be adamant in his decision that the migration patterns of the birds had changed over the past few months. As was usual, he had been right. Rather then focusing on the area around the stables, the birds were gradually making it to higher ground. This fact alone unsettled Tseng immensely.

"Why's it such a big deal?" Cloud asked, Tseng shaking his head.

"Chocobo's are highly in tune with the planet. They can detect disasters, catastrophes, calamities, call them what you wish..." Tseng said distantly, "And they have been known to detect them months in advance. The exact same thing has been happening near Nibelheim. The chocobos have unexplainably desserted the area entirely."

"Where are they going?" Cloud asked, curious, as Tseng's brow furrowed.

"Heading for higher ground. Chocobos have been known to migrate to different areas years before an event happens, so that they have time to adjust to their surroundings. Common belief is that they're 'psychic' creatures. If you believe in that thing..." Tseng shrugged. Cloud smiled slightly to himself. He knew damn well that being Wutain, Tseng believed strongly in the supernatural, and the connection of all living things to the planet.

_...That must be why this is bothering him so much..._

"Except they've never done it in masses before... Something must be endangering the planet..." Tseng sighed, Sephiroth shaking his head.

"I suppose you're one to believe in the prophecies then? Of the almighty God calling upon a beast that will ravage the earth, and the planet rising in defence against a heavenly intrusion?" Sephiroth smirked. Tseng remained silent as they continued walking.

The only thing that constantly replayed in Cloud's mind was the disbelief that any of the past few months had been real. He'd joined Shinra to get into SOLDIER and be just like Sephiroth. At the very least, get the chance to be near him, to maybe learn from him. He remembered sitting with Tifa, so certain, so sure that he would make it to first Class. He hadn't yet made it that far yet, but the point he'd gotten to was far more then he could have ever dreamed for. He'd made it into SOLDIER, the first step was down. He was fairly certain that he was not capable of getting closer to Sephiroth then he was now. He just wasn't quite ready to accept that it was all happening though, so sure that something would go wrong.

"Cloud, are you alright?" Sephiroth asked quietly, Cloud zoning back into focus, Sephiroth frowning slightly at the blonde, as Cloud smiled softly.

"Yeah, couldn't be better..." He replied, drawing a subtle smile from the General's lips. Cloud turned his attention back to Tseng telling stories of prophecies and Wutain fortunes, legends and fables.

"It's fascinating, really..." Sephiroth smiled softly, speaking specifically to Cloud.

"Well, things in Wutai are so different. I've seen Tseng fight before also, it's like water..." Cloud smiled.

"He was born in Wutai, the fighting technique there is very different. He excels beyond any that I fought during the war..." Sephiroth added the last sentence with a somewhat distant expression in his eyes. He had never spoken of the war until now to Cloud, and the blonde was curious, although terrified to push further. Rumour had it that Sephiroth had almost single handedly won the war, his hero status rising to it's peak prior to it, but Zack had shaken his head whenever Cloud had spoken of it.

"You ever heard the saying 'The first casualty of war is innocence'?" Zack said quietly, seemingly pained, "Well, one day... maybe you'll understand that..."

"But it's how the General got his name..." Cloud pressed, Zack scowling.

"Does a title really mean so much, Cloud?" Zack had uncharacteristically snapped, "Wutai was his first war. They _**change**_people..."

Cloud had never pressed the topic further, knowing full well that Zack had also fought in the Wutain war as a third class rookie. It was the only topic that had ever brought out a one way negative attitude from Zack. Cloud couldn't help but wonder, however, how Sephiroth may react to mention of it.

"What was it like?" Cloud asked, Sephiroth turning emerald green to meet his, still in a dream like haze.

"What was what like?" Sephiroth asked, eyes regaining colour and focus.

"Wutai... the great war..." Cloud asked curiously, Sephiroth turning eyes away from Cloud for some time, as they stood in silence.

Nobody had ever been so brash to approach Sephiroth and confront him with the one battle that made him who he was, and changed who he ever wanted to be. Yet, here was Cloud asking so openly about something he knew nothing about. His naivety could be excused, but Sephiroth was a little unsettled by the thought that it may not be so easily dismissed. He could feel the expectant blue eyes tracing his face, waiting, watching for subtle changes in expression.

"Why do you ask?" Sephiroth replied slowly, the blonde shrugging slightly, yet not accepting defeat, even with the warning tone of Sephiroth's voice.

"You're widely known for pretty much winning that war. You're a hero because of it. Zack never talks about it though so..."

"There are no winners in war Cloud. Every side has casualties, and every side loses something they'll never fully recover..." Sephiroth cut in, "There's a piece of you lost with every war."

"But when you first went to war, you were still a teenager. Zack was only fifteen. So that would have made you about..."

"Too young. Too young to run a war..." Sephiroth said quietly, his face turning into a somewhat bitter scowl, "But when you're born and bred to be a war hero, you have no choice but to follow the strings that they pull..."

"You don't have to any more, You know?" Cloud said gently, "You're what makes the company. You're indisposable to them. Tell them where to put their dirty jobs. Give them to the Turks."

_...If only it was that easy..._

"There are always limitations when you're property Cloud," Sephiroth said quietly, but Cloud shook his head.

"No, that's bullshit. Nobody owns you..." Cloud said quietly, pain etched across his face, "You're your own person, and what those sick bastards do is just... It's wrong... nobody owns you..."

Sephiroth's hands itched with the overwhelming desire to reach over and pull Cloud into his arms, tell him not to feel pain for what had happened to him, not to worry, not to ever taint that beauty with a pained frown. Instead, he remained silent, and continued watching the sparring. Such spontaneous urges were not fitting of someone of his status. Certainly not with his sub-ordinates in the immediate area.

"I'm not like a normal person Cloud, there's just something different about me..." Sephiroth replied gently, wishing upon anything that the blue eyes would light up with one of the blonde's fleeting grins, or at least turn their piercing gaze away from him.

"I know what it's like not to be normal, Seph. You don't have to feel as if it's a rare thing to be 'strange'" Cloud said gently, Sephiroth letting out a small sigh.

"No, in all seriousness Sephiroth..." Cloud shook his head, "You really don't need to feel like you have to fight the world on your own. Zack's here, Tseng, Captain Jameson, even Reno and Rude."

"And you...?" Sephiroth asked quietly, Cloud smiling softly, eyes downcast.

"Of course, but I figured I didn't need to tell you that..." Cloud continued smiling, Sephiroth nodding in silence.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Nibelheim, it's perfect..." Tseng nodded, Sephiroth smiling slightly.

"You've done well, Commander..." He said quietly, as Cloud and Reno approached the helicopter with their backpacks. They'd rung up for a helicopter, and unfortunately, due to a fire that needed aerial support, the helicopter they got was cramped and couldn't fit more then two passengers. Sephiroth had just had somewhat of a rant towards an office clerk who had arranged the helicopter, before agreeing to let the two rookies go ahead first. He would need Zack's assistance with the report, and Tseng wasn't big on flying. They'd wait for a few hours until the helicopter returned and took them to Midgar. Cloud had approached him and stood before him, watching him with excitement flashing through his eyes.

"Are you alright Cloud?" Sephiroth asked, as the blonde nodded.

"I've never been on a helicopter!" He grinned, "This is going to be so awesome!"

Zack walked over and ruffled the blonde's hair, a small scowl creeping over Cloud's face.

"Calm down Spikey..." Zack smiled, before heading to the door and helping Reno with his bag. Cloud turned his attention back to Sephiroth, who was watching him a little more intently then he had meant to. Cloud blushed slightly, the sight curling Sephiroth's mouth into a small smirk.

_...Don't tempt me..._

"You're not nervous, are you?" Sephiroth asked, distracting his mind from the rather impure thoughts racing through it.

"Nope. Excited!" Cloud beamed, before Reno called out to them.

"Come on Choco, get on the damn whirly bird!" He shouted, as the pilot started the engine, the rotors beginning to whir slowly. Cloud turned to Reno, flicking his attention back to Sephiroth, pausing momentarily. The blonde then reached up and placed a hurried kiss against Sephiroth's lips, brushing his hand along the General's cheek before blushing furiously. He then grinned and scurried onto the helicopter, as Sephiroth shifted weight on his feet uncomfortably, the Commander smirking at his side.

"Oh come on, it's cute..." Tseng smirked, Zack shaking his head slightly, as the helicopter took off, a grinning Cloud and Reno waving out the window.

"I swear I know that pilot..." Tseng frowned slightly, "Don't you hate that? You know somebody, but can't place their face?"

"I wouldn't know. I've never had that problem..." Sephiroth shrugged slightly, turning back to the cabin.

The helicopter landed with a thud on the grass, and a perky pilot hopped out to greet the party. This helicopter was significantly larger, and the pilot was significantly friendlier. Sephiroth couldn't help but feel as if he had seen him before.

"Hi! How are you guys going?" He grinned, as Tseng smiled warmly, clapping the pilot on the shoulder.

"Jordan, lovely to see you..." Tseng said softly, as the pilot took Tseng's hand off him and forced the Commander to hug him. Tseng smirked, as Zack gave Sephiroth a puzzled look. As the two embraced however, Sephiroth suddenly registered the familiarity. Shoulder length jet black hair, straight white teeth, pale skin, and the same intense burn through both sets of eyes, even if the colour varied from chocolate brown to piercing blue.

"My cousin..." Tseng smiled warmly at Zack, as the Lieutenant beamed, shaking the pilot's hand.

"You two really look alike!" Zack grinned, as the pair exchanged a look. They clearly heard that more frequently then they liked to. There was a brief amount of friendly chatter between the three, as Sephiroth scoured over his notes. He was only vaguely listening until something Jordan said caught his immediate attention.

"So, where are the other two?" Jordan grinned.

"Oh, they caught the other chopper. We couldn't fit on though, so we had to wait for you..." Zack explained, grinning broadly before catching the exchanged expression between the two commanding officers. Sephiroth turned to Jordan.

"You weren't told about this?" He asked, the now frowning pilot.

"I'm the only guy they sent out. I got told to pick up five of you..." Jordan replied. He hadn't even finished before Tseng was climbing into the cockpit and starting the helicopter. Sephiroth was barely a second behind, as he dragged Zack into the chopper and slid the door closed.

_...What have I done, Cloud?..._

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-shroud of mystery-

Behehehe, you all know where this is going, right?

So yes, I half typed this up to begin with and then went "I HATE this." I rewrote it several time, and am still not so happy, but God, I love my planning for the next one.

-sinister grin-

So yeah, I'm trying, damn it! lol.

Btw, thanks still for the reviews, I love you guys. XD


	8. Science

Thanks for your continuing support guys, for everything, you rock.

ANYWAY, The next chapter! I know most of you hate me RE- Cliffhanger.

Well... I DON'T CARE! k, maybe I do, but I'm sorry. hehe.

So, here we go then, right? You guys excited? I'm excited! XD

This story IS a little all over the place, but it had to be. Everyone's a little scattered around, so... LIVE WITH IT! hehehe. I mean, please?

-Oh goodness me... such **NAUGHTY LANGUAGE!! -GASP- **Block your sensitive little eyes.-

-**I DO NOT OWN ANY OF THESE BOYS OR ASSOSCIATED MATERIAL, LUCKILY FOR THEM**.-

-**Yaoi**, ya? Well, next chapter anyway. Well... A little bit of a muah at the end of this one, but... No likey, no ready.-

Oh! OH! Just to let the people who might not yet be aware, aforementioned Tseng x Cloud fic is up and running. Check it out on my profile- "Conflictions"

Lemme know what you guys think. -smiles-

Sharp, sudden. Cloud's eyes snapped open, emitting a glow as the mako in his body worked to heal itself.

_...Curative Mako?..._

His mind fought the grogginess and confusion, his eyes straining against an unnaturally bright glow.

_...Reno..._

The memories began to flood his mind. Landing on the helipad, opening the helicopter to several armed guards, all aiming their guns in Cloud and Reno's direction. The pair had acted before thinking, rushing simultaneously to take out the guards. Reno had fought particularly well, before being struck by a dart gun, his eyes widening in Cloud's direction as he slumped to the ground. Cloud had managed to take out three guards using hand to hand combat, before reaching for his Bister. As he did so, he felt a short sharp pain in his side. He immediately snatched at the dart, but the deed had been done. Cloud fell to his knees, following Reno's suit, as his vision swayed in and out of focus.

"Well, you certainly all took your time, didn't you?" A steely voice resonated across the area, "Half of you fell within the first half a minute! This is what I am to improve, you see?"

Cloud had felt bile in his mouth, as the cold voice continued to ring clear.

"Well, what are you waiting for?! The blonde goes directly to section 34..." Nasal bitterness paused thoughtfully, "As for the Turk? Just keep him out of the way. Do as you see fit..."

Cloud's skin crawled at the recollection of the memory, before his eyes fell closed and he slipped into darkness for the second time that day.

Cloud woke significantly slower then he had previously, nausea slowly overpowering him. His senses had been regained enough to determine his situation. He was restrained, apparently against a metal surface, his bare body being bitten by the cold. With that, came the realization of his nakednesss, and a burning sensation in his leg muscles. He tried moving, hissing in pain as he looked for any visible damage.

"Clumsy, aren't we?" A hint of amusement rang through the air, "Can't even fall over right..."

_...A bit hard to stand when you're unconscious..._

Cloud felt his mouth drying as Hojo appeared to his left, shaking his head slowly. The appearance of the doctor was much like the lab in which they were in currently. Cold, uninviting, ominous.

"There we were trying to hold you upright, but all you did was keep falling on over..." Hojo sighed, clearly entertained, "So naturally, we had to try out some new muscle development on those legs of yours. Let's see when they start taking effect..."

Cloud shuddered, knowing full well it had nothing to do with the cold.

The instruments around him glinted in the blindingly bright light, but none glinted more so then the thick rimmed glasses perched precariously on the professor's nose. Cloud reconsidered the thought, Hojo's eyes glinting just as noticeably.

"Curious, Surely?" Hojo finally said, curiousity apparent at Cloud's silence, "Something must be running through young Strife's mind?"

Cloud remained silent, one thought continually playing in his head.

_...Figure it out Sephiroth... Figure it out and come and find me..._

Hojo smirked, cocking an eyebrow.

"No, nothing? Sephiroth at least gives some witty, vicious remark..." Hojo continued to smirk coldly, "And yet his little puppet pal friend won't utter a word... Is it fear?" Hojo paused momentarily, circling around Cloud like a hawk flying above it's prey. Cloud's uneasiness was steadily rising as the encounter continued.Hojo had the same look Cloud had every Christmas of his childhood, when he was wondering what he could do with his new toys.

"Do you fear me Cloud?" Hojo asked, Cloud unable to help letting out a snort at the question.

_...fear? Don't be ridiculous..._

Hojo stopped before the blonde, considering him intently.

"Ah... You're not broken at least..." Hojo sighed, "I hope we can keep you that way. The last one was a little weaker willed then you though, so I wouldn't worry all that much..."

Cloud shuddered again, a twisted smile sliding across a twisted face as Hojo leaned closer.

"You know what we're doing Strife?" Hojo's eyes flashed menacingly, "Engineering! Altering lives! the World!"

He was becoming more and more animated as he spoke, sadistic pleasure clear across his features.

"I've been particularly eager to try something on you, Cloud. Something that didn't work 100 on your beloved General..." Hojo flashed brief disappointment at the admission, and Cloud bit the hook.

"What did you do to him?" Cloud asked croakily, throat burning with mako and anger, as Hojo quickly returned to his sadistic glee.

"Glad you asked! It's genius really... I insert this chemical into the brain. You see, the left hemisphere holds language production, logic and mathematical skills, those academic kinds of things. The right hemisphere? Nothing too special..." Hojo waved his hand in dismissal, "Emotional recognition and production, the ability to understand humour, sarcasm and the likes, music appreciation... all useless things in a soldier..."

Cloud felt bile rising once again, as his stomach churned at the severity of Hojo's apparent insanity. He clearly had no appreciation of human qualities or finer detailing.

_...And they dare call Sephiroth a monster..._

"Anyway," Hojo continued, seemingly unphased, "This chemical is used along with an electrical procedure. I find the areas of the brain used for these useless functions by sending small electrical pulses, and then inject the chemical into the required area to neutralize them."

"You kill creativity? You kill emotion?" Cloud cried, mind struggling to accept the concept.

"Yes! Then I inject a seperate chemical into the left hemisphere to increase it's capacity and productivity!" Hojo babbled excitedly, "It worked, for the most part, on Sephiroth. Except that the effects weren't 100 accurate. He developed emotion from experience and devoloped a somewhat unique sense of humour, a bad one none the less. It's fascinating, isn't it?"

Cloud felt his eyes begin to burn with increased mako, as Hojo grinned twistedly. Cloud snarled.

"Fascinating?!" Cloud spat, "It's sick! It's wrong! You take away what makes a person who they are!"

"But I further what they could be!" Hojo cried animatedly, "Sephiroth's vocabulary is astounding! He's far and beyond human with his mathematics, logic, planning! His left hemisphere is so incredibly advanced, he could wield masamune with the one arm and still be more efficient then any fighter ever raised!"

"You've changed who he could be as a person!" Cloud hissed.

Hojo let out a laugh, which echoed with such an iced chill that Cloud's heart felt as if it were about to freeze.

"He's not a person, Cloud..." he replied, "He's a soldier!"

Cloud thrashed against his restraints.

"You sadistic fuck!" He hissed, Hojo smiling darkly, stepping ever closer.

"You're a fine young candidate Cloud, regardless of your misguidances..." Hojo replied slowly, examining Cloud's face in one hand, squeezing his cheeks. He shook his head slowly, tutting all the while.

"I don't see it..." Hojo shrugged, "Something like you winning the General over... I suppose you're similar in a strange way though, aren't you?"

Hojo then resumed his pacing around Cloud, unease burning through the blonde.It had become clearer then ever that Hojo was intent on bringing pain to Cloud. Lots of it. Hojo looked down at his wristwatch, nodding appreciatively, taking spot once again before the blonde.

"Night princess..." He chuckled, Cloud snarling at the leering professor, as his mind faded to nothingness once again.

                                                                          - - - - - - - - - -

It was a dark and unsettling silence, eye contact non-existant. There was no need for words. They all knew what was encircling the other's minds, and there had been an overpowering shadow of thought, each thought more dark then the last, from all of them.

Sephiroth had never thought himself to be dimwitted. Never before had he thought himself to be overly clever either. As he sat in silence, sharpening the blade of the masamune however, he had never felt so disgusted with his intelligence in his life.

_..No, it's not just stupidity... It's not the only thing... that's bringing this feeling..._

His head span slightly, and for the first time in his life, he began to realise what being ill was. No one thought remained in his head, it was one recurring blow after the other. Wutai had been a cruel war, one of high casualties and great loss, and the only other time that Sephiroth had not been able to will the dark, creeping sensation from his mind. He looked up, the burning sensation of eyes fixated on him, rousing him from his thoughts. Striking sapphire blue, so alike to the blonde's, locked onto him with an intense agony. For once, Sephiroth was first to look away.

They climbed off the helicopter a short time later, Tseng moving to exchange word with Jordan, who gave a solemn embrace to the Commander. Zack watched Sephiroth sheath masamune with a slow, thoughtful movement. He'd only ever seen the General so distant once, and he was terrified by the thoughts that may be shadowing the General's mind. They'd been in Wutai, as a mako reactor Shinra had forcefully buit there was destroyed by rebels. In the explosion, mako radiation had spread rapidly through the population of the warriors and SOLDIERs, turning many of them feral with mayhem producing mako poisoning. Zack had watched Sephiroth fight the only hesitant battles the General had ever fought, as Sephiroth had no choice but to fight and kill twelve of his first class SOLDIERs. By the end of the war, Sephiroth had become a hero, and almost immediately withdrew to his quarters in Midgar. He'd taken no calls, refused to unlock his door, and had apparently not surfaced for over a week.

Zack knew differently, however, as he'd come across Sephiroth for almost every night of that week, sitting silently on the roof of headquarters, his legs hanging over the side of the building. Zack had seated himself by the General, and neither said a word for the eight hours the pair spent looking out over Midgar. They'd spent six nights straight in the same routine. Zack would make his way to the roof to find Sephiroth already seated, and they would sit in silence until the first rays of sunlight illuminated the mako clouds. Once the light began to creep, so would Sephiroth, disappearing silently and retreating back into his quarters. The 7th night however, Zack had climbed to the roof, and Sephiroth had been seated with his head in his hands. Zack had walked over, silently placing his hand on Sephiroth's shoulder. It was then that the General had spoken.

"I'm truly a monster, Zack..." had come the rasped comment. Zack had dropped to his knees, wrapping his arms around the General as tightly as he could muster.

"Don't you dare even think that! Never again!" Zack spat, his emotions struggling to balance, as his eyes burned with agony.

"Six years of SOLDIER to be killed by your leader's hands. Half of them were barely 18. They were still children. They had their whole lives..." Sephiroth began, before Zack reached out his hand and slapped Sephiroth hard across the cheek. Hollow eyes lifted to lock with Zack's in startled surprise, before filling with emerald green hues and understanding.

"Never again... Nothing could be done... NOTHING..." Zack hissed.

Sephiroth turned his eyes back to the city lights, and they sat in silence once again. The General returned to his duties the next morning, and although Zack returned several times to the roof for his own private thoughts, he'd never come across Sephiroth again.

Zack watched the General pull out the backpack from the helicopter, and allow it to hit the ground. Zack reached out like he had done so long ago, and placed a firm hand on Sephiroth's shoulder, as hollowed eyes rose once again to meet his.

"Redemption comes in many forms..." Zack said quietly, "They couldn't be helped, but he can. And so can you..."

The pair studied eachother intently, watching the thought flicker through the other's eyes, before Tseng returned to the group, silently observing the two. Sephiroth's eyes flashed a familiar emerald green, as he gently removed Zack's hand from his shoulder.

"Let's go then..." Sephiroth nodded curtly, as Zack followed suit, encouraged by the notion.

                                                                                     - - - - - - - - -

The trio slunk through the shadows of the Shinra medical research facility, Tseng providing swift disabling shocks to all those who got in their way. The realisation of who the pilot was had struck the Commander too late, and left his stomach in a tightened knot at the delayed process.

_...The lab rat... The damned lab rat..._

He'd informed Sephiroth quietly, as the General faltered in his steps, before nodding swiftly and carrying on. Sephiroth was clearly not himself, haunted by the same conflicts that Tseng was facing. He'd spoken to the General earlier, and had forgiven him for the matter that ensued.

_**"What have we done?" Tseng had said, more to himself then anyone else. It had happened quickly, as Sephiroth had grabbed the Turk's collar and thrown him against the wall, pinning him there with an amazing strength. **_

_**"No Commander... Not you..." Sephiroth had replied coldly, before Zack placed his hand on the General's arm, Sephiroth turning his eyes to Zack momentarily, before letting the Commander loose. He turned his eyes from Tseng as he spoke, apparently shameful, "I accept all responsibility." **_

_**"Seph..." Zack pleaded, as the General resumed his pace down the halls. **_

_**"We don't have the time to stop..." Sephiroth replied quietly, as the Commander and Zack had jogged slightly to catch up to the General.**_

_...Wutai..._

The thought had dawned on Tseng as he walked, recalling the strictly confidential files on his hometown war.

_...That wasn't his fault... He was even commended on his attempts to save the poisoned..._

Tseng knew all too well what the feeling was that accompanied a death of a team member, but never at his own hands. Sephiroth must have been going through a personal hell, and for that, Tseng held nothing against the General for any actions he may take. Tseng froze, seemingly thinking too soon, as the General moved with alarming speed, snatching a small brunette and slamming him against the wall. The brunette's legs flailed miserably, as he struggled for air, the General's hands tightening their grip around him. They'd found their pilot.

                                                                                    - - - - - - - - -

"Sephiroth!" Zack cried, barely reaching the General's mind, as the lithe body struggled against him.

"Sephiroth, please!" Zack pleaded more urgently, "Tseng!"

Tseng then took his cue, the gentle squeeze of the Commander's hand on the General's shoulder, drawing Sephiroth's attention to the Commander. Tseng was seemingly calm and collected, although the dark shadows engulfing his eyes, along with the poisonous green told otherwise. Sephiroth released his grasp, the gasping lab rat falling to the ground, seemingly incapacitated.

"If you kill him..." Tseng spoke softly, in fluent Wutainese, "We gain nothing but a brief moment of satisfaction."

Sephiroth watched the danger unfold across Tseng's features, and realised the logic behind his words. Tseng was very much capable of getting the information they needed without the need to kill, and Sephiroth recalled the words professor Gast had once given him.

_**"Never get between a leopard and it's prey..." Professor Gast sighed slightly. **_

_**"Leopard?" Sephiroth quirked an eyebrow, unable to make a connection. He hadn't seen a leopard at all that day, all he'd done was stumble into a Turk mission, and receive a nasty gash in the process. **_

_**"Yes, in terms of battle engagement, Turks are the true form of the word Leopard..." Gast sighed again, as he finished stitching the wound, and began to bandage the young Sephiroth's side. **_

_**"Well what's the prey then?" Sephiroth asked curiously.**_

_**"Anything they're after at the time... Be it a person, package, or information. Turks will do whatever it takes to get what they're after. You may be too young to understand, but grown-ups sometimes take without asking..."**_

_**"Even Hojo?"**_

_**Professor Gast's face had darkened, his eyes flashing menacingly.**_

_**"Especially Hojo... But remember, let a Turk do their business. They know how to do it, and they know how to do it well..." Gast warned sternly, before ruffling Sephiroth's hair affectionately, "Now go find Angeal and play."**_

Sephiroth reluctanly stepped back, agreeing that Tseng was a far more fitting choice. The Commander pulled his gloves onto his hands, before pulling James to his feet as the labbie continued to gasp slightly. All warmth that usually eased across Tseng's features were gone, as he surveyed the brunette, before launching a fist into the labbie's face, as he slammed James into the wall.

"Where are they?!" He barked viciously, James whimpering slightly.

"I don't know!" he choked, before being met promptly with another punch, blood flying from his mouth and nose. Zack cringed at Sephiroth's side, and made to speak, before the General shook his head slowly, holding the Lieutenant back.

"Bullshit!" Tseng snarled, pulling a switchblade from his sleeve in a fast, fluid motion, provoking tears from Hojo's assistant.

"I don't know! I don't know!" he sobbed, "Hojo took the blonde!"

Sephiroth's body tensed. Of course it had been what he expected, but he had been holding on to naieve hope that there was some other explanation.

"The redhead? The Turk?" Tseng urged, shaking the brunette violently, "Where is he?"

"The guards.. I think... possibly..." James stammered.

"Where **is **he?" Tseng warned.

"I don't... they might..."

Tseng slashed finely through the labbie's chest, as James cried out in pain, crimson trails already forming along his chest.

"Looks like I missed..." Tseng shrugged with a face void of any emotion. Sephiroth had seen Turks in action, but none were quite the same as Tseng, and none would ever be as good.

"You know... I've never missed twice..." Tseng mused coldly, repositioning the blade at the lab rat's throat.

"Alright! Alright..." James sobbed hysterically, "They took him to base. He's in a cell in an underground passage!"

The labbie continued his sobbing, spluttering blood as he did so. Tseng nodded swiftly, before kneeing the brunette in the groin, causing the labbie to hit the ground doubled over, gurgling as he tried to breathe.

"Should we maybe call the infir..." Zack began hesitantly.

"If he can pilot a helicopter, he can dial a medic..." Tseng replied coldly, pulling the gloves off his fingers, leaving James to writhe on the ground.

                                                                          - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Reno wiped the trail of blood from his mouth as he looked across the cell at his attacker. The mako felt like it was burning into his pupils, but he was so reluctant to react. The one thing that Tseng had always taught him was to not show anger or rage when it wasn't necessary.

_..."A level head is your most useful weapon..." I'm thinking I'd prefer my electromag right now, boss..._

"Get up!" the brute barked, Reno smirking as he stood on weakened legs. He braced as the fist came towards him again, and felt the connection of knuckles and cheekbone. He staggered back a little further, as his back hit the wall.

"Piece of shit Turk, fight back!" the muscle barked for the countless time that day. He reminded Reno somewhat of the muscle in your classic melodrama. All brawn, no brains, and all intent on using it as much as they could. He would have to have been at least 6 feet tall, and looked as if he could stop a moving truck he was so solid.

Reno's mind flicked to Cloud, his stomach churning at the conversation he'd overheard, which had lead to his current beating.

The brute, whose name was apparenrtly Dominic, had been talking to one of his colleagues, and Reno had been intently listening with his enhanced hearing.

"Yeah, the blonde one? Hojo took him, and the amount of mako that kid's getting, he'll be lucky if he doesn't croak..." Dominic snorted.

"No kidding!" came the dimwitted guffaw of a reply, "Because I had a bit of a look at the charts. He's in for a rough trip. Fuck these SOLDIER bastards though. Ain't worth the money they get spent on em."

"Hojo said he doesn't give a crap if he dies. He actually said it would be all that more enjoyable... Said he's out to cause the blonde as much pain as he can..."

"So he's **trying **to kill him?"

Well, not entirely. He's more of a playtoy for the professor..." Dominic shrugged, "But quote, 'I'm not going to be reviving him if he slips.' Hojo seemed all that more eager for him to croak, if you ask me."

"Hojo must have it in for him then. Know much about the kid?"

"He's a pretty little thing, surprised he lasted so long in a cesshole like SOLDIER. Apparently he's got that Turk Commander and the General himself looking out for 'im..." Dominic had smirked.

"General hey? Sephiroth 'imself?"

"Yep. Protection from high places. Luck to 'im I say..."

"Wait, so even that Tseng fellow? The Wutai guy?"

"Yeah, bit of a pillow biter if I even seen one..." Dominic snorted, "Piss weak pansy will probably cry when Hojo's finished with the little blonde guy. That Turk's got more then a screw lose, and not enough balls to show for it."

That had been all it had taken for Reno to snap.

"Gutless fucks..." Reno scowled, the two brutes turning their attention to the redhead.

"What was that red?" Dominic growled, standing on his feet and unlocking the cell door.

"You heard me. You probably only landed this job because you were too stupid for the labs and too ugly to suck off the President. Haven't got too much going for you, hey?" Reno shrugged, standing to his feet also, "and yet you'll talk about the two greatest fighters this company's ever seen with such_**bravado**_... Impressive..." Apparently, it didn't take too much for Dominic to snap either, as he launched himself at the Turk and began laying punches.

This was how it had ended up, Reno sprawled along the cell floor, continuing to smirk up at the guard. Reno had decided some time ago that if he was going to die because of work related reasons, he would go out with a fight. He wasn't overly sure that he was going to die anytime soon, but he was running out of strength should the need arise. He focused energy on raising his mako levels to the areas he needed it most, and mentally prepared himself for what very well may be his last stand.

_...Tseng..._

The thoughts came unexpectedly. A warm smile, piercing brown eyes, a gentle touch, graceful fighting skills. Reno stopped where he was and brushed aside the pain radiating through him at the thought of never seeing the Commander again, along with the confusion that accompanied it.

_...I so don't bend that way..._

He stood as regally as he could, and raised his fists, the lingering image of the Commander floating in the back of his mind.

"Dominic!" Thug number two called out suddenly.

"What?" He replied gruffly, eyes never moving once from Reno's face.

"There's been a breach near the helipad. We got orders to leave the Turk. Move your ass!" came the hurried reply, Dominic smirking as Reno swaggered slightly.

"Yeah, he'll be right..." He replied smugly, exiting the cell and leaving Reno crouched on the cold floor, more confused with his own thoughts then he ever had been in his life.

He focused instead on his thoughts of Cloud, the overwhelming sickness the thought brought to him, filling him to the core. Their helicopter trip had been insightful to say the least, as Reno placed a little of his Turk pressuring skills on the blonde to find out a bit of goss on the General. He admittedly had intended on digging up gossip for possible blackmail, but the information he received had changed his mind.

"So what's he like under that shell?" Reno had asked casually.

"You wouldn't believe it if I tried to tell you..." Cloud smiled softly.

"Steamy kind of relationship you got going? Or is the old silver warrior really a softy at heart?" Reno smirked, Cloud shaking his head and simultaneously rolling his eyes. The blonde's smile then faded, and he let out a quiet sigh.

"You know Reno, I don't really know..." Cloud shrugged a little.

"What do you mean?" Reno asked, intently more curious then previously.

_...Trouble in paradise?..._

Cloud had then begun to spill. Reno couldn't blame him, he had suspected anything Cloud had to say on the matter would be difficult to speak of with Zack. The Lieutenant was a mother hen at the best of times.

The blonde sat and spoke of Sephiroth, and his failure to effectively show affection or any sort of love for Cloud. Cloud believed Sephiroth to be extremely uncertain with anything, and how the blonde went through the constant pain of wondering if Sephiroth was as truthful and committed as he promised he was. Reno had sat with concern and sympathy appearing somewhat suddenly as Cloud continued, elaborating on his biggest concern.

"We're both fighters you know. What if, for example, I go out on a mission and never come back?" Cloud shrugged, "I'm going to die thinking 'Hey, I wonder if he loved me...' I mean it's all very nice and cosy for him, he knows how I feel."

Reno remained silent, contemplating the very real threat to the pair and how it must make Cloud feel. He couldn't imagine dying before he got to tell the people closest to him how he truly felt.

"Who knows, he may very well hate me for all I know... I could just be a piece of ass..." Cloud said rather coldly, as his face paled. Reno pat the blonde on the shoulder, not quite sure of what to say in such a situation.

"You won't tell anyone I said this, will you?" Cloud asked, a slight blush in his cheeks. Reno smiled and shook his head, as Cloud let out a long sigh, pain etching across his face. Reno had never disliked the General as much as he now did.

                                                                        - - - - - - - - - - - - -

He was on a table, apparently another metal one, and there was yet another blazing light burning through his eyelids. He was horizontal this time, but still confined. He'd passed out again, Hojo's face leering in his last vision after drugging him. That much was clear. Clarity failed to extend too much further beyond that point however, as Cloud's eyes snapped open to a smirking Hojo.

"You really are quite a hassle, Strife!" Hojo snorted, "Your legs just won't hold up now. And then we had to cut you free from the table, so as not to break you in half. If I weren't any wiser, I'd think you were rejecting these trials on purpose!"

Cloud remained silent, his eyes struggling to adjust to the light around him, as Hojo chuckled at his own sadistic jokes. Cloud felt a numb tingling sensation through his body, as he fought to free himself.

"Oh?" Hojo raised an eyebrow, "Are we getting a little rebellious, Cloud? Such a pity that we might have to make you incapacitated if you keep this up..."

Cloud inwardly cried out in frustration. This had only been a few hours, judging by Hojo's wristwatch, and yet, he didn't think he could last another minute. He silently wondered to himself whether it would be his mind or body that would crack first.

"So!" Hojo chirped excitedly, "We begin a different test that occured to me to try whilst you were having your little nap time."

Cloud reamined silent, knowing by now that speaking was useless. Hojo was going to explain Cloud's demise word for sickening word anyway.

"I have been on Shinra's back for quite sometime to let me do some testing on the curative powers of mako. He's been a little paranoid due to advice from his lawyers at allowing these tests, but you're my little secret, aren't you?" Hojo smirked deviously, pulling on Cloud's eyelids, apparently checking his pupils.

"The thing is Cloud, that you're one of the most fascinating little pets I've been able to get a hold of. your body just reacts so perfectly with mako!" Hojo bubbled, Cloud watching as the doctor picked up a small scalpel.

_...Why? Why did I have to pass my mako tests to begin with? Why did I even come to SOLDIER? There are so many other ways to impress the townsfolk... I could have been a baker for fuck's sake..._

Cloud questioned almost every decision he made up to this point, before realising that most of his biggest ones had come down to the one reason.

_...Why join SOLDIER? Why try and make it to first class? Why take up swordsmanship classes? Why take the increased mako shots? Why try so hard to stand out and make top grades?..._

He didn't dare to even think the name, believeing that if he did so, he would make the realisation it had all been in vain. Cloud was another face in the crowd. Another admirer who had gotten a little closer then the others, but still no more then a rookie. Another sucker who had fallen for the awe, the mystery, the looks, the intelligence, and just about everything else about the so called silver assasin, and yet would ultimately receive nothing in return. Cloud was ripped rudely from his thoughts as he cried out in agony, the scalpel slicing through his torso in a swift motion. He clenched his jaw, the pain radiating through him, as he felt the mako begin to burn and react to the wound. He opened his poisonous green eyes and locked directly on Hojo, who now had a young assistant by his side watching with apparent fascination, taking notes as Hojo commented.

"The subject's mako input was increased significantly prior to the tests. In reaction to stimulus number one, subject's body began healing process within the first five seconds of contact..." Hojo then ran a hand over Cloud's still burning chest and smiled to himself.

"Fascinating..." the assistant gasped, scribbling notes of her own as Hojo continued smiling.

"...Subject's minor chest wound was completely healed within first thirty seconds. Conclusion of test number one shall be marked as a positive reaction to curative mako in moderate dosage..." Hojo rattled, the assistant scribbling like mad on her lecture pad, "Caitlyn, go fetch me five millilitres of mako."

The assistant nodded curtly, handing her pad to the professor, before disappearing whilst Hojo looked down upon Cloud.

"Just too good for words Cloud... but goodness me, the fun has only just begun..." Hojo smirked, holding the scalpel up to the light, as Cloud watched the pale purple gleam flicker through the blood stained surgical tool.

"Funny isn't it?" Hojo said vaguely, eyes focused on the glimmering droplets of blood falling slowly from the blade, "Prolonged mako exposure changes the colour of the blood..."

"Fourth graders know that, Hojo... Hate to see what cereal boxes will dispense a medical degree these days..." Cloud spat. Hojo tensed slightly.

"You're pushing boundaries Cloud..." Hojo scowled momentarily, "The interesting thing, had you not been so rude and interrupted, is that the colour varies from person to person, depending on general temperament and as some say, potential..."

Hojo continued examining the blood on the scalpel, as Cloud willed desperately for the mako to take away the still burning sensation in his chest.

"Your friend Fair, his blood is tinged with a yellow gleam. I suppose because of his seemingly sunny disposition... Most of the Turks are tinged with a cyan colour, most SOLDIER first class's have a lovely burnt orange, second classes have a maroon tinge, and most of your fellow third class's have a bright green. Purple is a very rare colour, Cloud... Especially for one such as yourself..." Hojo continued to muse, wiping the blood from the blade and placing the swab in a tube. Hojo scribbled a few notes on the pad, smirking as he did so.

"There have only been four others with the purple hue Cloud. Do you know who they are?" Hojo smirked, Cloud saying nothing once more, instead focusing cold eyes on the professor's face. Hojo shrugged.

"I'll tell you Cloud... I'll tell you... your beloved Sephiroth, Angeal, Genesis, and Tseng..." Hojo smirked.

Cloud was not surprised to hear of Sephiroth or Tseng, but the other two names were a little more unfamiliar to him. Angeal had been a name that had passed from Zack's lips on very few occassions, and was usually accompanied by a remorseful smile. Angeal had clearly been someone special to Zack, but Cloud dare not ask. Genesis had instead been mentioned by the General on several occassions, but with a coldness and bitterness that Cloud also dare not question. There had been other tales that Cloud had heard, or even read about in children's story books, of the three angels of Shinra. But they were fables, and none were ever delved into further then adventurous stories or propoganda for the Shinra.

"Hmph..." Hojo snorted, shaking his head, clearly reading Cloud's thoughtful expression, "If you do not know them, then you don't deserve to."

With that, Hojo once again caught Cloud off guard and made another quick slash across Cloud's skin, this time down his arm. Cloud cried out in agony, biting back hard on his lip, as he struggled to fight the tears that threatened to engulf his eyes. Hojo scribbled hastily on his assistant's clipboard again and watched as Cloud lay perfectly still. The only visible sign of his agony was the tears streaming down the blonde's face, and the trickle of blood from where he had bitten down on his lip. Cloud willed himself to remain silent in his pain, and remain still against his body's own cries for escape. A short time later, Hojo ran his fingers over Cloud's arm, commenting again on it's quick healing.

Hojo again stared with fascination at the blood soaked scalpel. Cloud had no way of knowing how deep Hojo had even been cutting, his head restrained tight enough that he couldn't see. Although, on second though, he was entirely sure he didn't want to.

"You've got great things in store for you Cloud, if this is anything to go by..." Hojo mused quietly, watching the scalpel even as his assitant reappeared with a jar of mako solution.

"You were gone awhile, Caitlyn..." Hojo scowled a little, as he picked up a syringe, "I've told you I rely on speed. You need to get things done by my time, not yours."

"I.. I'm sorry professor. I just called James to ask for the keys to the lab closet, but he wouldn't answer his phone..." the assistant explained.

"What about your set?!" Hojo snapped, as the assitant recoiled slightly.

"It turns out I had them in my pocket all along, sir..." Caitlyn blushed slightly, as Hojo let out a disgruntled sigh, filling the syringe with the ominous green fluid, and roughly injecting it into Cloud's arms.

"Oh! You wrote notes for me professor?" She cried, as Hojo sighed again.

"Someone had to!" He snapped, as he pumped Cloud full of the liquid.

_...You'd think they were at a lecture hall having tea and biscuits..._

Cloud's insides began to burn with a creeping sensation, his veins felt as if they were alight. He let out a small hiss of pain, and Hojo smirked.

"It's lovely to know your vocal chords are working Cloud. Favour me with a scream?" Hojo smirked further. Cloud glared at the professor, before allowing him his wish, another cut slicing through his abdomen in an all too sudden movement. The pain had become too much once again, and the blonde fell into his countless pit of darkness.

                                                                              - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Reno had gazed up at the celing above him, his mind alive with thought. It had begun to change however, an exhaustion overtaking him with a heavy conscious weighing down upon him.

_...What if I could have held out a little longer? Maybe Cloud wouldn't be... Or what if I had have convinced Cloud to wait for the next chopper? I was so damn eager to get home..._

Reno had the same sickening image replaying through his mind, as if it were a CD stuck on repeat. He could almost see the blonde lying there, bloodied, battered, draining of life, Sephiroth's name on his dying lips. Cloud had become a very good friend of Reno's. They'd already been through a lot together, and there was surely more to come. He had never seen the blonde so conflicted with himself and the world around him then he had been with mention of the General. The blonde had already sacrificed so much for the General, and the bastard hadn't done a damn thing in return.

_...It's not like it's so God damned hard to show a little affection... Say that you love him... Care enough to get us the fuck out of here... "I'm going to die thinking 'Hey, I wonder if he loved me...'"_

The last thought had been almost unbearable. Not only the death of Cloud, but the last painful question on Cloud's mind if it happened? He couldn't bare to think of it. His thoughts were interrupted however, when he heard a commotion outside. There was a lot of shouting, but nothing was all that clear or precise, except for that one tone. That one tone that rang clear with assertive authority and confidence. Reno leapt to his feet and clung to the bars of his cell door, anger fuelling his already pent frustration at his target.

It had been a unanimous decision to find Reno first, although Tseng was not so eager to see what state the redhead may be in.

"Hojo would have hidden Cloud with far more thought..." Sephiroth had explained, "If we get Reno, we can split into two groups and we'll have two options."

"Two options?" Zack had queried, but Tseng replied. It was standard procedure, afterall, so Sephiroth had not expected any less of the Commander.

"The first is in the case that Reno will be unfit for battle. In that case, one of us will fight the way out of here and take him with us. If he's fit enough to fight, we take him along with us to find Cloud and split in to two groups to cover more ground..." Tseng nodded, Zack seemingly impressed.

And then there they all were, as soon as they had fought their way to the underground entrance and taken out several of the guards, there was seemingly a large group of armed fighters. Hojo had clearly been expecting Sephiroth and the others.

"Uh, was there a plan C?" Zack paused, as the guards raised the alarm,Sephiroth withdrawing masamune and using the bladse to deflect bullets, before casting a shield spell on the three of them, proceeding to manouvre masamune with grace through several of the fighters.

"Fight!" Sephiroth barked, as Zack shrugged, leaping into offensive mode. It was a chaotic frenzy of bullets, weapons and blood, as the fight continued, bodies hitting the floor as quickly as they approached the trio. Combined with the assault force of Zack and Tseng, there was one guard left standing, who attempted to run. Zack clutched the fleeing guard's wrist and flung him against the wall.

"I'm guessing there's a key that opens that holding area, yeah?" Zack smiled, as the guard pulled out a set of keys, his hand shaking violently. Zack held up the keys, inspecting them, before headbutting the guard and knocking him unconscious.

"...Well what do you know, I was right..." Zack shrugged, handing the keys to Sephiroth who swiftly unlocked the holding area and entered first.

Reno was pressed against one of the cell doors, mako flaring through his eyes, blood running down his face and sides. Sephiroth watched curiously as he unlocked the door, before the redhead flung himself at the General, laying punches and kicks to Sephiroth's body.

"You fucking bastard!" Reno snarled, lashing furiously, as Sephiroth held up his arms in confused defense against the blows.

"Reno?" Tseng queried, as the bloodied Turk continued to lash out at the General.

"If he dies, do you have any fucking idea what will be going through his head?!" Reno spat, "He thinks you hate him for fuck's sake! He gave his everything for you, you ungrateful bastard!"

Tseng rushed to Reno's side and pulled him from the General, as Reno struggled to fight from the Commander's grasp. Tseng was too strong however, simply holding onto Reno as he flailed himself to exhaustion, continuous curses towards the General flowing form his mouth. Sephiroth barely heard any of them however, the one thought bringing about nausea once again.

_..."If he dies...He thinks you hate him_"...

Sephiroth had never considered the thought of Cloud passing. It was inconceivable, as far as he was concerned, but the raw pain and fury in Reno's words had hit him hard.

"If he dies?" Sephiroth said quietly, as Reno was lulled into Tseng's arms. Reno had clearly lost a lot of blood, through one way or another, and was barely conscious after his lashing out. Tseng stooped to carry the redhead in his arms, Reno glowering at Sephiroth in the process.

"The guards were saying... Hojo's out... to cause him as much pain as he can..." Reno said drowsily, leaning sleepily against Tseng's chest, "He thinks it'll be... 'enjoyable'... to watch Cloud die..."

Reno watched with slight amusement at the flickering emotion across the General's face. His shell appeared to be visibly cracking, as the first signs Reno had ever seen of terror on the General crept across a paling face. Sephiroth clearly cared a lot more about Cloud then even Sephiroth realised. It was just taking something horrible for anyone to realise it.

"I recommend you two stay here... Reno shouldn't be moved in his state..." Sephiroth said urgently, as Tseng nodded, Zack following Sephiroth out the door. Reno's eyes began to droop closed, so incredibly tired, and now, incredibly at peace. Tseng's heart beat rapidly against his ear, as the Commander looked down and lifted Reno's eyes to meet his.

"Stay awake Reno. Don't pass out on me..." Tseng said softly, shaking the redhead gently.

"Hey boss... your heart's going crazy..." Reno yawned a little, Tseng smiling shakily.

"I'm scared, truth be told Reno..." Tseng explained, Reno shaking his head.

"Nah boss, it's ok to be scared..." Reno shrugged slightly, "Even if he is property of the General..."

Tseng snorted lightly in apparent amusement, before Reno slipped into unconsciousness.

                                                                 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Hojo held Cloud's wrist cautiously, watching the blonde's eyes widen significantly as the scalpel approached.

"Perhaps more mako first, Caitlyn?" Hojo smirked, as the assistant's eyes widened.

"We're getting close to a lethal level, sir... If we put too much more in, he could die!"

"Don't question me!" Hojo barked, "Besides... He'll burn most of it as he tries to heal. Just wondering if he'll survive this one..."

Cloud's head was already spinning. He'd slipped in and out of consciousness for what seemed like an eternity, and each time he woke, Hojo would inject more mako, and would conduct another experiment. Cloud had snapped a little at the professor, feeding him the speech he craved.

_**"Why can't you do this while I'm out?!" Cloud spat, Hojo chuckling to himself, as Caitlyn stood by, momentarily stunned. **_

_**"And miss all the fun? Goodness Cloud, you must be mad..." Hojo snorted, Cloud spitting at the proffesor's face. Hojo scowled deeply, his eyebrows furrowing, as he wiped the salive off of his face. **_

_**"That's quite disgusting Cloud..." Hojo said quietly, before picking up a syringe from the range laid out before him. He flicked the tip and smirked sarcastically, injecting the liquid into Cloud's arm, which had already been burning from the previous cuts. **_

_**"I've heard it's quite unpleasant to have non-functional salivary glands... You'll have to let me know..." Hojo shrugged a little, "If you can talk that is..." **_

_**Cloud felt the liquid head almost directly for his mouth, as he tried desperately to keep a reserve of saliva. But as Hojo began to make another incision on his stomach, he cried out, losing his composure and the remaining production of saliva he had. **_

_**"Oops..." Hojo chuckled, as Caitlyn's face paled, Cloud writhing on the metal bench, "Lucky you have two of those..."**_

Cloud had not quite found out what it was that Hojo had removed, but he had not been overly eager to find out. Hojo approached his side again, injecting the mako into his arm painfully slowly. Cloud could feel the liquid creeping through his body, the burn far more intense then anything he'd felt previously, as his head spun, Hojo smirking wickedly. Hojo unfastened the restraint on Cloud's head and turned it to face his arm, before re-fastening the hold.

"I'd like you to watch this Cloud..." Hojo bubbled, Cloud's vision blurring as his eyes struggled to adjust to the darker lighting. Everytime Cloud had closed his eyes to avoid the blistering light above the table, Hojo broke a finger. He was sure to get arthritis, as the mako healed his bones whilst they were not properly aligned. The burning, aching pain that had locked into his fingers were all but gone now, however, overcome with the horror that Cloud was witnessing. Hojo meticulously sliced through Cloud's wrist, blood gushing out, as Caitlyn moved to vomit into the nearby trashcan. Cloud could hardly look away, the sight of the crimson flow along with the mako struggling to heal the deep laceration, impossible to tear his eyes from. He needn't have worried for too long however, as he felt significantly colder, his eyes slowly closing of their own accord, as Hojo quirked an eyebrow, Cloud's wrist almost healed, as the blood continued to drip onto the floor at his feet. The last sound Cloud heard was the shrill ringing of Hojo's cell phone, as the professor smirked darkly down at the blonde.

                                                                        - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Blood. There was so much blood. Zack stood still, eyes fixated on the pools of the red substance underneath one of the metal tables. Two of the leather straps which were usually used in the leg area were frayed, and had apparently been cut. It was from that area that the blood trailed down to the pools on the ground, and followed in a trail of droplets on the ground heading for the exit oppsite where they were standing. Sephiroth stooped by the pool of blood and dipped his ungloved finger into it.

"This has been here a few hours..." He said, seemingly more to himself then anyone else.

"Cloud..." Zack breathed, his heart overwhelmed at the thought that the blonde had truly been hurt in any way. His mind was a haze of memories and promises, as the blonde's voice reverberated inside his head.

_**"Bastards!" Came a rather loud cry from the hallway nearby. Zack rushed to find a cadet sprawled out on the floor, as several other cadets were fleeing the scene, laughing hysterically. Zack mentally made notes of the cadet's appearances from behind, as they exited the building. He walked over to the sprawled cadet and stood beside him.**_

_**"Hey, you comfortable down there, Cadet?" Zack smiled gently at the blonde beauty sprawled on the floor below him and extended a hand, "You ARE a cadet, right?"**_

_**"Uh... yeah..." the blonde replied timidly, allowing Zack to help him up, "Cadet Cloud Strife."**_

_**"Oh yes, introductions. Fair..." Zack beamed, as Cloud brushed himself off, a slight scowl over his features, "Zack Fair."**_

_**The blonde had frozen mid brush, gaping wordlessly up at the SOLDIER.**_

_**"L...Lieutenant Zack Fair?" Cloud stammered, "First Class?! The General's right hand man?!"**_

_**zack shrugged it off. Rank wasn't really all that important to him. He'd gotten to where he was by being himself, and was happy being Sephiroth's adviser and friend; His ranking was a title, nothing more.**_

_**"yeah, but Zak'll be fine!" he smiled, as the blonde smiled shyly in return. He knew then why the blonde had been getting a bit of a hard deal. Good looks got attention of both kinds at Shinra. You were always having your ass pinched or being flattened on the ground out of envy. Cloud certainly fell in the high class of looks, and that made the kid vulnerable if he didn't look after himself or have someone else look out for him. Zack had made the decision from that moment.**_

_**"Don't worry Cloud, I'll keep an eye on those guys..." Zack reassured. Cloud blushed, seemingly embarrassed, but nodded and muttered a thank you, before beginning to leave.**_

_**"Hey Cloud?" Zack asked, sapphire blues locking onto his own, "I'll see you round!"**_

_**Cloud nodded again, smiling. **_

_**Zack sat on the couch, whilst mindless talk shows flooded the television screen. He looked up as the door clicked open, and a bruised and bloodied Cloud swaggered in. **_

_**"Shit! What happened?!" Zack cried, leaping to tend to the blonde. **_

_**"Still not quite fitting in yet..." Cloud grimaced, Zack scowling darkly in return.**_

_**"Same bastards?" Zack asked, Cloud catching sight of his eyes. **_

_**"It's nothing, really..." Cloud shrugged, dropping his bag to the floor.**_

_**"I'll take that as a yes... come on Spike, we'll get you fixed up..."**_

_**Zack prodded his food with his fork lazily, chatter carrying on loudly around him as the others filed into their seats.**_

_**"This can't be classified as food..." he muttered to himself, before another cafeteria tray was slammed on the table before him. He looked up to find a rather ominous looking Cloud.**_

_...Storm Cloud... hehe..._

_**His amused thoughts were interrupted though, as the blonde slammed his hands on the table after his tray.**_

_**"Yessums?" Zack smiled sweetly, knowing full well what Cloud's problem was. **_

_**"funny, isn't it? How they all got beaten, and not a single report was filed... Not a SINGLE file... How strange..." Cloud scowled, as Zack calmly lay down his knife and fork, and looked un sincerely at the blonde.**_

_**"Spike, I'm always going to look after you..." Zack shrugged, penting his fingers, "No other Shinra bastard will intentionally hurt you again. I swear it." **_

_**There was a silence, where Zack once again picked up his fork and prodded something which may or may not have been a potato. Cloud sat across from him, picking up a carrot stick and nibbling at it. **_

_**"Thanks..." Cloud replied finally, Zack nodding in approval.**_

As the last memory bit through him, Zack's stomach churned, the crimson pools the physical evidence of his failure. He then became aware of the emerald green before him, as Sephiroth said something. He tried desperately to focus, as Sephiroth shook him slightly, the General's oen eyes showing apparent horror. He was trying to hide it, that much was clear, but the longer Sephiroth had known Cloud, the harder it seemed to be for him to hide his emotion.

"Zachary, We need to keep moving..." Sephiroth said a little louder, Zack nodding in reply. They continued to follow the trail of blood, before Sephiroth stopped, extending his arm out to stop Zack from running, as they stopped outside a door. The trail of blood lead to that room, and there was a flickering light flashing beneath the door. Other then that however, the inside of the room and surrounding hallways was deathly silent. The sudden sound of running footsteps was heard however, as Zack's eyes flicked to movement further up the hall. The lieutenant took after the fleeing girl, as Sephiroth drew out masamune, extending his boot in a swift motion and kicking open the door. Zack leapt at the girl's ankles, and was surprised to find her hysterically crying, as Zack shook her gently. She continued sobbing, before Zack heard a feral cry resound through the halls.

"He's a monster... Hojo's truly a monster..." She sobbed, as the cry resounded again. 

                                                                       - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Sephiroth's hands shook for the first time he could recall, as he extended his fingers out to take the limp wrist which hung from the table. He pressed his fingers firmly to the blood coated wound, a scar clearly visible, as mako struggled to heal the final segment of broken skin. He found no pulse, as a feral cry resounded, bouncing off the walls, Sephiroth becoming aware of the source of the cry when his voice gave way. He fell on top of the blonde, the usually warm and inviting skin, now pale and cold.

_...Cloud...What have I done?_

The cry resounded again, as Sephiroth clutched possesively to the blonde, his chest tight, his fingers aching with every touch he gave the unresponsive figure. His mind was reeling, thoughts and recollection of his prized blonde shaking him to his core, accompanied with a memory from so very long ago.

_**"Professor?" Sephiroth had asked quietly, "What was wrong with Alistair this afternoon?"**_

_**"His wife miscarried and died, I presume he was grieving..." Hojo replied with a wave of his hand, not looking up from his research. Sephiroth was only 11, as he watched Hojo's most valuable assitant fall to the ground and wail uncontrollably. That had been the firt time Sephiroth had been witness to emotional devastation. When Alistair had taken his life later that week, Sephiroth finding the body suspended from the ceiling, it had been his first experience with non-combatal death. **_

_**"Why? Why does it hurt people so much? Why haven't I been like the others? I've had to kill before, why did I not cry?" Sephiroth asked Hojo, who raised an eyebrow at the youngster.**_

_**"You didn't have an emotional connection I suppose. You would have to love someone dearly to be affected in such a manner. but that's no talk for a soldier. People die, boy. Better by your hand, I say..." Hojo replied sternly.**_

_**"I don't think I have anyone I can say that i have a connection with..." Sephiroth frowned. Hojo however, smiled. **_

_**"Good! I'm glad. This means it's all working perfectly... You'll make a fine SOLDIER, Sephiroth my boy. Be proud of that..." **_

_**sephiroth dropped the topic abruptly, always immediately uncomfortable with Hojo's outlook and opinions. He instead picked up masamune and began practicing fighting movements, wondering if he would ever suffer like Alistair had.**_

_...So this is devastation... This is grief..._

Sephiroth lifted Cloud from the bench, resting his cheek against the pale blonde spikes. Hojo had hurt Cloud beyond repair. His untainted body was now riddled with freshly made scars, some of which Sephiroth himself cringed at.

_...I wish I never had to feel it..._

Pain was very familiar to Sephiroth. The worst account he had of pain was when a Wutain warrior attacked him, and he was impaled on a staff. Hojo had him immediately healed on sight, but he was doused with mako in hopes of increasing the healing time. The burning had been beyond anything he had ever felt. Until now. Every part of him ached, and every millimetre of Cloud's skin that he touched, every strand of hair he ran his fingers through, encouraged the flow of fire.

"Sephiroth!" Zack cried, as he entered the room, his eyes falling upon the scene. Sephiroth didn't look up, even as Zack lead a young woman into the lab with him, and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"Sephiroth..." Zack said softly, the General wiping a trail of blood which had fallen from Cloud's lips. The assistant approached the tray which lay beside Cloud's body and picked up an empty syringe. Sephiroth raised flaming eyes to meet the girl's, as her face paled considerably, eyes widening in fear.

"No more... don't touch him..." he commanded icily, willing himself to let go of Cloud to attack the girl, but unable to do so. Zack's hand squeezed his shoulder, before placing an arm around him.

"He's not dead, Seph..." Zack smiled reassuringly, although his face was visibily paled as he consciously avoided the sight of Cloud.

The words didn't register, until the girl moved towards Cloud again, Sephiroth holding out a hand towards her, one arm still wrapped wround Cloud.

"...What do you mean?" Sephiroth said quietly, as the girl swallowed hard, her face full of shame and fear.

"Mako poisoning, if severe enough, can kill a person..." she began to explain, biting her lip slightly as she paused, "... If it doesn't kill them, it's said that the patient is subdued by the Ancients through a time of healing, where the mako is absorbed into the body and dissipates over time..."

"He has no pulse..." Sephiroth replied slowly.

"He's living off the planet. His pulse will strengthen over the next few days. But I assure you, General, he's alive..."

"But how? How can you be so sure?" Sephiroth struggled to hold his composure, his confusion and emotion over the matter rattling him.

"I... I checked his eyes whilst Hojo was leaving... The professor didn't seem to care much if Cloud had died, but I..." She paused, her eyes brimming with tears, "I didn't know he was so hearltess... I had to make sure, because I knew what Hojo did to him, I saw him go through the tests..."

Sephiroth clutched the blonde, the thought of the girl before him standing by and doing nothing as Cloud was tortured was fuelling his rage to breaking point.

"His eyes... what about his eyes..." Sephiroth replied through clenched teeth.

"O...Open them sir..." she replied timidly. Sephiroth reluctantly lay the blonde back on the table, before gently lifting the eyelids from his eyes.

_**"Something about that kid's eyes Seph, I swear it, they're the most unique pair I've ever seen..." Zack had smiled to himself, as the General rolled his eyes slightly.**_

_**"It's a cadet you're talking about here, Zack..." Sephiroth sighed, scouring over the mision summary he had written on the way back from their trip. **_

_**"You'll really think differently of him when you meet him. I can promise you that..." Zack shrugged, "seriously the eyes though..."**_

_**"You're caught up in that topic, aren't you?" Sephiroth raised an eyebrow and Zack sighed. The Lieutenant had been speking so fondly of the blonde for the past few hours that Sephiroth was almost eager to meet the blonde, to shut Zack up, more then anything else.**_

_**"They're just incredible. Even without mako, they just glow... and they're so alive, and full of colours I've never seen before..." Zack seemed to daze off slightly.**_

_**"I highly doubt anything would be as hypnotic as you make them seem..." Sephiroth sighed, Zack replying with nothing more then a shrug and a knowing smile.**_

_**Zack trudged up to the door, turning his key in the lock, and straightening as he entered.**_

_**"Oh! you are here!" Zack grinned, as he waved briefly at Cloud, who was apparently not expected.**_

_**"Yeah, was kinda hoping you could relieve me from my boredom..." came the rather cheerful reply. Sephiroth let out a small sigh. Encouraging Zack to relieve boredom was a suicide wish.**_

_**"That's bound to keep him talking all night..." He said sarcastically, as he stepped through the door, eyes focusing on the blonde who was lounged out on his couch. He kept his eyes focused on the one thing that was seemingly sucking all light from the room. Zack had not been over-exaggerating when he had spoken of the cadet's eyes. They were an amazing blue, alike to Zack's, but different in so many ways. Sephiroth had wondered if it was possible to draw the life from such eyes even in death, as Zack looked between the pair awkwardly, Sephiroth reluctantly tearing his eyes away.**_

_**"Oh, uh... Cloud, Sephiroth's gonna be here just until the rain stops..." Zack smiled, explaining sheepishly, Sephiroth grateful for the fixation of the blonde's eyes on his own. Zack then invited him in, and the blonde addressed him directly for the first time. **_

_**"Uh... would you like something to eat or drink, sir?" Cloud asked timidly, as Sephiroth's eyes snapped back to the blonde's seemingly not under his control at all. He watched with curiousity, taking the unique appearance of the blonde in and mentally cursing himself he had not taken the chance to see the blonde so close earlier. The realisation then hit that perhaps a response was in order.**_

_**"Water, please. That would be good thank you..." he finally replied, taking seat in the couch opposite Cloud, as the blonde fetched his drink.**_

_**"what did I say, huh? I saw that! i saw the whole appreciative stares!" Zack bubbled cheerfully.**_

_**"He's unique..."**_

_**"Oh come off your high horse, he's adorable!" Zack beamed proudly. He clearly had nothing but brotherly affection for the blonde, and this somewhat pleased the General. He had opportunity to have those eyes set only on him. **_

Cloud's eyes were barely recognisable to everything Sephiroth had remembered, even the whites of his eyes tinted green by a poisonous green. Rather then the familiar gleam of wisdom and peace, his eyes were filled with his final moment of pain. The assistant had been correct. If Cloud had indeed passed on, the mako would be idle in his eyes. Instead, the green swirled frantically, showing clear activity of the brain. Cloud was alive.

"He's ok..." the assistant reassured, before injecting the syringe into Cloud's side, drawing out a vile of Cloud's blood. Sephiroth took the sample and examined it. Cloud's mako blood level had to be above the 75 percent mark.

"I'll need to take a few more to get him below 70 percent sir, but I'm not sure he'll have enough blood to handle a full transfer..." The girl said solemnly, "So he'll have to ride this out the old fashioned way, sadly..."

Sephiroth stood, eyes focused on the blonde laid before him, before turning to face the assistant once again.

"Where's Hojo?"

"We got news you were coming, and he took one of the choppers... I went to go with Hojo, but I couldn't leave him here..." She sniffled, petting the blonde's hair, as Zack placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. Encounters like this were sadly one of the only ways that future followers of Hojo could learn of the professor's methods, and walk abruptly away from them.

"There'll be time to deal with Hojo, I guarantee it. But for now, I think we need to get Cloud home..." Zack said softly, as Sephiroth nodded curtly, gently bending to pick up and cradle the blonde in his arms, before heading for the helipad.

                                                                            - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Cloud!"

Reno sat bolt upright, panic riddling his thoughts, before he was firmly laid flat once again. Warm brown eyes swam into his field of vision, as he felt a cold trickle of water fall across his face and down his neck.

"He'll be fine, Reno... lay still..." Tseng's calming voice floated through Reno's ears, lulling him into a sense of security.

"It's really hot..." Reno whined a little, Tseng smiling slightly.

"It's called a fever Reno..." Tseng continued smiling, "Even children are easier to take care of then you, I swear it..."

"Well you don't really **have **to..." Reno sulked, Tseng patting his head with the wet cloth again.

"I know that..." Tseng smiled, before dipping the cloth in water, "I chose to..."

Reno was thankful for the cold water that once again ran across his cheeks again, as he felt his cheeks burn a little hotter at the words.

_...Don't be ridiculous... Delusional for Christ's sake..._

"Have you heard from the others? Is Cloud ok?" Reno hurried, sitting upright again, Tseng once more forcing him to lie down.

"I'm sure Cloud's ok..." Tseng smiled reassuringly, although Reno saw the flash of worry in the Commander's eyes.

"Have you heard from them?" Reno asked again, Tseng wringing the cloth out a little.

"No... I haven't..." Tseng began, as Reno launched himself up again, Tseng grabbing his wrist as he headed for the door.

"We have to help! It's my fault the poor kid got caught up in this shit to begin with!" Reno cried, attempting desperately to make it to the door. Tseng pulled on his wrist with such force that Reno fell back on top of the Commander, Tseng's breath on his neck as he wrapped an arm assertively around the redhead's chest.

"Stop it Reno..." Tseng said quietly, but sternly enough for Reno to stop struggling, "The blame game is a useless one to play. You did nothing wrong. If we are to blame anyone, it is Hojo..."

"What about Sephiroth, huh?" Reno snapped, moving to make for the door again, Tseng holding him slightly tighter.

"No, not the General..."

"Cloud could have died... Cloud could have died thinking that bastard didn't love him... What an absolute wank..." Reno hissed, "Picture that huh? Thinking that the one person you'd fallen head over heels for just went on and got themselves up shit creek without a paddle, and then went on and died, without you ever telling them! Can you picture that shit?!"

"Far more easily then I think you know..." Tseng chuckled slightly, his laughter tickling at Reno's ears.

"Ever had that happen?" Reno asked, concerned at the fact that such a closeness to the commander was not bothering him in the slightest.

"Today, curiously enough..." Tseng said gently, a smile playing along his voice as he rested the back of his hand against Reno's cheek. Reno burned up quicker then he had ever thought possible, and Tseng wiped the cold cloth over Reno's face again.

"You're burning up even worse..." Tseng sighed a little, as Reno shook his head. Tseng laughed a little again, trailing the cloth over Reno's face in gentle movements.

"Trust me Ren, you're burning up..." Tseng said a little more forcefully, "I think you should lay down again if you're going to behave..."

"Does that involve moving from here?" Reno asked quietly, and Tseng snorted.

"It would be difficult to lay down sitting up, Reno. So yes, you would have to move..."

"Then I don't think I really want to boss. If that's alright..." Reno cocked his head, boldly making his statement, not sure of where anything would lead or what in God's name he was even considering, but he'd never felt as right as he had in that moment, fever and all.

"Oh? Is that right?" Tseng mused, seemingly cautious of the Turk's words. Reno considered the only option he saw fit to convince the Commander, and rotated his torso around, smirking at the somewhat stunned Commander, before pulling him into a soft kiss.

"I'd think so..." Reno smirked deviously, as they broke apart, Tseng hand's tightening around the redhead as he pulled him back to his mouth.

**A/N:** I really don't like Hojo... is it obvious? buahaha.

Phew... LOOOONG CHAPTER. O.o For me, anyway. Over double the usual. hehe.

Oh, oh, OH!! Yay Tseng has a new toy boy. XD I think Tseng is just gorgeous, as you may be able to tell from my writing, and the contrast of character between Tseng and Reno reminded me of the kind of contrast between Sephiroth and Cloud. Except, of course, that Cloud is not nearly as... 'daring' as Reno.

In other news, all that psycho blabber about the brain Hojo went on about? It's all truuuuue! hahaha. I decided to try different ways of revising my psych homework, and this was one of the ways I chose. I know a heck of a lot more about the brain, so thank you fanfiction. lol.

So yes, I am back on my feet. It's been a tough few weeks, but yes, time is vital.

A lot of you should thank hellsing101, who, subconsciously pressured me into writing this. hehe. Good old Kammy provided the support, and gave me the smiles, and got me to writing! lol.

What can I say? I really am a sucker for the fans. hehe.

P.S, I know this one's quality was a little sucky, but I promise I'll try harder for the next one. -smiles-


	9. Retribution

Yay. :)

So here we are. Again.

The same point where I tell you what's been going on, and usually why my post is so late. But this one's not so bad, I think, so no apologies!! heh. Thank you all once again for the reviews!!

ANYWAY, yes, so I had some things pointed out to me.

Everyone hates Hojo, for one thing. hehehe.

Secondly, taking the big risk of handing Reno to Tseng in a little gift wrapped box seemed to pay off, so I'm glad!!

Lastly, I love Stoic-Genius more then ever. XD From that comment, I shall remind everyone that there is a poll on my page and that you are encouraged AVIDLY to vote. Although, it's looking like Seph x Cloud x Zack either way. hehe. Just for Stoic. XD

So, onwards we go. :)

-Oh goodness me... such **NAUGHTY LANGUAGE!! -GASP- **Block your sensitive little eyes.-

-**I DO NOT OWN ANY OF THESE BOYS OR ASSOSCIATED MATERIAL, LUCKILY FOR THEM**. But that really doesn't help me any... -

-**Yaoi**. I KNOW I SAID THIS CHAPTER. I'M SORRY. I LIED. lol. NEXT CHAPTERRRR!! More people wanted the pain of Hojo, and I didn't wanna swamp you with such an insanely long chapter... AGAIN. My bad. **No likey, no read-y...?** -

Zack tapped his pen anxiously on the table. He hadn't seen Sephiroth for the past few days, and this morning had been no different. He wouldn't be at the base hospital, Shinra had made sure that the General had no access, deeming Cloud "an unecessary distraction". Zack was somewhat relieved, no matter how much the decision irked him. Although the Lieutenant wished nothing more then for Sephiroth to visit the blonde, if he had have visited Cloud on day one, like Zack had, God knows what may have happened. Cloud was certainly not looking himself. His usually untamable spikes were drooped and matted slightly with blood, despite the efforts of the staff to clean him. His cheeks were deathly pale and drawn, and as much as mako could heal a body, it left bruises untouched and splayed across the blonde's swollen skin. Zack had left the blonde's room almost immediately after arriving, the sight weighing heavily on his conscious. He had returned several times, each time bringing about a healthier look to the blonde, but the image would still remain firmly in his mind of that first day.

_...God knows how Sephiroth would have reacted..._

"Zachary..." Tseng said softly, drawing him from his thoughts, and back to the seemingly pointless executive meeting. All in attendance had their eyes fixed expectantly in Zack's direction.

"Uh... yes... well..." Zack drew out his words, searching for anything that may sound credible or at least minutely relevant.

"It sounds like a reasonable proposal. I think it should be considered with some minor changes..." Zack said casually, hoping that his panic had not shown through.

"It's highly unlike you to agree to such a proposal General..." Shinra remarked, eyeing Zack suspiciously, "You would seriously consider allocation of SOLDIER funding into Scarlett's hands?"

Zack choked slightly on the cookie he had wolfed in an attempt to appear calm.

_...Funding into Scarlett's hands?! Shit! And just how exactly do you plan to get yourself out of this one Lieutenant Idiot?_

"I think what our acting General means is that Sephiroth has enough on his plate already without the extra paperwork..." Tseng jumped in, patting the still choking Zack on the back, freeing the chocolate chip lodged in his throat, "So indeed restructuring of finances should be reconsidered, but not entirely allocated to Scarlett."

Zack breathed slightly easier, Shinra nodding his head slowly.

_...Thank whatever God brought you here Tseng..._

"Very well, it shall be considered. Scarlett, General Fair's vote has lost you the majority needed for your power over the matter..." Shinra said airily waving his hand. Scarlett herself locked murderous eyes with Zack over the table and damn near snarled. Zack wasn't overly fussed, and judging by the satisfied smirks around the table, neither were the others. They were all just as bad as eachother. Five hours, it had been. Five torturously long hours in one room with Shinra, Shinra's son, Tseng, Scarlett, Heidegger, Reeve, the mayor of Midgar, six SOLDIER first class's who each held responsibility over major areas, and the allocated Wutai representative. Zack couldn't understand how Sephiroth put up with the entirely unecessary drabble which came from the group every second day. After filling Sephiroth's position for six days straight now, Zack was almost ready to retire. Tseng, thankfully, had come to his rescue on several occasions through each meeting. As talk resumed over spending allocations, Zack leant closer to talk to the Commander.

"I could almost kiss you for that save..." Zack said gratefully.

"Taken, sorry General..." Tseng smirked slightly over his coffee cup.

"Ah yes, the delicate redhead..." Zack mused, Tseng continuing to smirk over his coffee, "I've always wondered, do the curtains match the drapes?"

Zack let out a strangled cry as Tseng promptly sprayed his coffee across the table and Scarlett's fancy new dress in a loud snort of surprised laughter. Scarlett stood abruptly, slamming her hands on the table, Shinra widening eyes at the scenario, before promptly adjourning the day's meeting. Not a minute too soon in Zack's opinion, Heidegger dragging the screeching blonde with him from the room, Zack overcome with silent tears of restrained laughter.

Once the room had cleared of chuckling executives. Tseng wiped his eyes, clearly highly amused.

"You're a little too much like the General sometimes..." Tseng sighed, seemingly catching his breath with a wide smile, "Shinra will have my ass for that..."

Zack, upon recollection of previous stories of events like these, realised how Sephiroth may very well have survived such drab meetings. Tseng and Sephiroth, whilst in their stages of harmony with eachother, were well known within the higher ranks to cause trouble at meetings and the likes, due to a common sense of dry and often sarcastic humour. The usually calm and composed Tseng was rarely found to be hysterical, but on the rare occassions he was, it was usually Sephiroth who was to blame. Sephiroth had often emerged from meetings with a smirk on his face, before telling Zack the newest jokes he had heard about the presidential family, mainly Rufus' rumoured sexual preferences. Zack had no doubt where such jokes had emerged from, as he watched the still chuckling Tseng tidy himself up. Tseng's laughter soon faded however, replaced with sudden concern.

"Is Sephiroth ok?" Tseng asked gently, the use of the General's given name so freely surprising Zack. The question however, was one that caused him more tthought then he first presumed possible.

_...Well Sephiroth? Are you ok? Because I dunno... Something's just not right here..._

"He'll be fine!" Zack smiled, hoping Tseng hadn't caught his moment of thought or uncertainty. Zack inwardly sighed. Who was he kidding? Tseng was a Turk, he caught **everything**. Tseng gave a very knowing look, and let out a soft breath.

"Even the stongest souls are never entirely independent..." Tseng said solemnly in a hushed statement, seemingly to himself.

The Commander seemed lost in thought for a moment, rich brown eyes normally filled with electricity, clouded over briefly, as they stood and gathered their belongings.

"I'm going to see Reno. I'll let you know how they both are..." Tseng smiled finally, before patting Zack's back in a reassuring manner.

"Thank you Commander..." Zack smiled in the same concerned, yet reassuring way.

"Oh and Zack?" Tseng paused, as he reached for the door, "He always will take fault on his shoulders far too easily... Remind him who the real bastard is here..."

The Commander's eyes flashed somewhat ominously, lurking shadows unsettling even Zack. Zack guiltily reminded himself that Cloud had not been the only victim, and more then one jilted lover would eventually seek revenge. Zack finally nodded in response, Tseng pulling on his gloves as they slipped outside. The Turk slipping into 'business' mode and out of his meeting parade so swiftly, that Zack watched in amusement, the Commander setting his EMR to charge as he headed down the hall. Zack had to admit, the Turks never failed to impress him in one way or another.

Zack walked into Sephiroth's quarters, uninvited as per usual, only to find the pristine apartment once again lacking the General's presence. The meeting had taken longer then expected, the sun almost set across the city plates, casting a dim glow over the plains. Zack loved the peace of it all, and was constantly found overlooking the city from various vantage points across Shinra headquarters. He'd even seen the city from Rufus Shinra's quarters, after being called there by the confident blonde, as the youngster attempted to seduce him. Zack giggled to himself at the recollection of the blonde offering him a shared part of all the wealth and power he possessed, offering him a whiskey.

"Have you ever seen racing chocobos, Zack?" The heir had then asked.

"Yes, all the time. Reno and I actually set up a gambli... Well, I'm just familiar with them..." Zack smiled, hoping his slip of tongue would not cause any trouble for his redhead friend. The heir to ShinRa simply smirked, admiring Zack's hair.

"Do you know some Chocobo's are bred to cross mountains and rivers? Your hair is so much like those chocobos, such a dark jet black, all over the place. It's really quite alluring..." Rufus smiled, before there was a loud thud outside the door, followed by hysterical laughter. Zack opened the door and confirmed his suspicions. Tseng was propped against the wall by the door, tears streaming down his face. He had apparently overhead the conversation, and found the moment hysterical. It was the first time Zack had found Tseng to be completely out of composure. It had been highly entertaining for more then the Commander that night, and less then amusing for Rufus, who demanded he be assigned a different bodyguard.

Zack just naturally found the lure of the city to be strong within him. One place outdid all the others for Zack, however. At the highest point in Midgar, the roof of the Shinra building was the most surreal place for Zack to take in the severity of the world. For Zack, it was an ideal place for personal reflection and realisation. A sudden thought rang clear through his head at this, as Zack smacked his forehead in mere frustration.

"You idiot, Zack..." He cursed himself exasperatedly, before dumping his belongings on Sephiroth's sofa and heading for the elevator.

Sephiroth sat, slightly hunched, as the cool winds whipped the building. He didn't look up as Zack approached, the Lieutenant taking seat by his friend, regardless of the General's silence. Zack let out a small sigh on closer inspection of the General, Sephiroth's eyes eerily similar to the clouds surrounding the city. A smokey grey in colour, only flashes of green apparent in the swirling depths. All signs were pointing to a repeat of Sephiroth's last lapse of life. Zack was **not **going to sit by idly this time and let Sephiroth slip into another week of silence, despite the General's desire to melt into the shadows.

"They've been looking for you, you know..." Zack stated, Sephiroth nodding slowly, "A lot of people are concerned..."

"I know Lieutenant, it is to be expected I presume..." came the hollow reply.

"None of that Lieutenant shit. I'm Zack. I'm here as your friend, not your right wing..." Zack said sternly, Sephiroth still not meeting his eyes. Silver strands of hair blew raggedly in the wind, always falling neatly back into place, the glow from the city below casting an almost ethereal glow over Sephiroth's face. It was then that Zack marvelled at the faint lines that had formed across the General's face, his age seemingly much older then what truthfully was, weariness and exhaustion finally seeming to be grasping onto the General's shoulders. Zack understood this fully. The Lieutenant could barely handle a week in Sephiroth's place, yet Sephiroth himself had been doing it for years.

Sephiroth remained silent, unblinking as he gazed across the landscape. Zack knew how to draw a reaction from the General, but feared it would bring about withdrawal rather then admission and general talk. He took the leap of faith however, eyes never leaving Sephiroth as he spoke.

"Cloud's doing rather well, he should be better in no time..." Zack nodded swiftly. The reaction was immediate, Sephiroth tensing on mention of the blonde's name, his eyes dropping to his knees.

"Cloud..." Sephiroth murmured softly.

"Yes the blonde in the hospital that _**Hojo **_fucked over..." Zack said firmly, Sephiroth falling silent for some time.

"I... we nearly lost him, Zack... We nearly lost him and he would have died thinking that... that I didn't..." Sephiroth trailed off.

_...Gods, I hate to have to do this..._

"You don't really love him, do you?" Zack said flatly, thoroughly impressed with his ability to remain emotionless. It had worked though, Sephiroth now locking eyes with the Lieutenant in startled surprise.

"I..."

"You're quite happy sitting here and pretending that nothing happened..." Zack continued, somehow maintaining his facade, "You're quite happy trying to push all your thoughts into the back of your head and pretending he's not hurt."

"That's not true..."

"No?" Zack replied bitterly, impressing himself more and more by the minute, "Of _course _not... You're **actually **happier taking the blame for something that was **completely **not your fault, with that image looping of that body... littered with scars... and signs of physical pain and holding **yourself **as victim rather then offer mental support for him. The one who needs it..."

"No... that's not what..."

"Or _maybe _you really _do _love him..." Zack said significantly softer, "And if that's the case, I haven't got a **clue **what the fuck you're doing up **here**... You should be living life as usual until he's back up and running, and then dedicating yourself to showing him every single day at least once how much he means to you, so that he never has to doubt again. Aside from that, figuring out a way to sneak in and see him, because although it may be painful for you, he _will_ know you're there, and as they say, actions speak louder then words..."

Zack watched Sephiroth slowly let the words sink in. He could tell that whatever he'd spilt from his lips in his moment of controlled emotion, had hit some kind of trigger within the General that he hadn't hit before.

"So?" Zack pressed, "Which option is it, huh?"

Sephiroth sat, locked in Zack's stare, the pair seemingly waiting for the world to fall into place. Emerald green hues began to break through the smokey grey, gradually forcing their way to face the world. Sephiroth stood slowly, majestically, bracing the dying wind gusts, and offering a hand to Zack.

"Option three..." Sephiroth murmured, Zack beaming as he took his leader's hand and was hauled to his feet. They jumped down to the next floor, and entered through the helipad's door, making their way down the stairwell to the elevator. Zack was filled with a renewed hope for the budding relationship. He had been pleased to see the pair finally get together, and he was adamant that such a relationship, turbulent as it sometimes was, was just what they both had needed.

"Oh... How was today's meeting?" Sephiroth asked flatly, Zack smirking as they boarded the elevator.

--

Tseng lay his eyes on the lithe form, as far from delicate as possible. Reno was sprawled across his bed, mouth hanging wide open, a small trail of drool falling from the corner of his lips. The Commander smiled to himself as the redhead snorted, smacking his lips slightly before returning to his previous pose. Tseng's smile lingered, recalling their brief time in the cell together. Tseng had been being kissed ferociously by the redhead one second, being promptly crushed by his unconscious form the next. Reno had curled into Tseng's body as he collapsed, a content smile playing along his lips. Tseng had mirrored the smile, holding his seemingly unreachable prize gently, enveloping the bloodied form with his arms. He was not all that worried about the redhead's unconconsiousness now, he was seemingly fine apart from blood loss. Reno had claimed heterosexuality from day one, which Tseng had secretly lamented over for some time before he found Cloud. There had always been a special spot for Reno in his heart and mind, the bond extending beyond employer and employee, and seemingly at several points, beyond friendship. The Commander had then moved onto Cloud, who at least had a preference for men, and once again found his goal untouchable. Reno had then increased his attention on Tseng, offering playful joking, sarcastic remarks and overall comfort for the Commander. It was a vicious cycle, Tseng falling back into his affectionate obsession on the redhead, who had no interest in men at all, making him on the same unreachable level as Cloud. Tseng shook his head slightly.

_...Or so it seemed..._

Things never quite turned out how they were meant to at Shinra.

The Commander lifted his eyes to the bed across the hall, where the blonde lay motionless, a very faint pulse registering across the monitor, various equipment almost encasing the blonde.

_...Gods Sephiroth... he needs you so much right now..._

There was a sadness imprinted upon Cloud's face, his pain seemingly extending beyond physical and seeping through his unconscious thoughts. Tseng let out a soft sigh and frowned a little, knowing full well that Sephiroth was hurting more then even Tseng thought possible. The General had clearly also been lamenting over Reno's harsh truths. Even as the redhead had spat the words at the General, Tseng recoiled slightly, Sephiroth's eyes immediately beginning to sink into shocked despair.

"Cheer up... you'd think you were surrounded by diseased bastards or something..." a sarcastic voice snapped the commander from his musings. He lloked down as smokey turquoise blues looked up at him through their sleepy haze, a lazy smile playing across the redhead's lips. Tseng smiled back, reaching out and squeezing the redhead's thin fingers gently. Reno then frowned slightly, Tseng smiling further at the redhead's first words for four days.

"I'm hungry, yo..."

"You've been living off vitamin supplements for six days, it doesn't surprise me..." Tseng chuckled, as Reno stretched out as far as humanly possible. He then froze, caught in thought.

"Cloud?" He said simply, Tseng looking back across the hall.

Cloud had been making small, almost minute improvements across every day, but it was an excruciatingly long process, mako poisoning, and Tseng had never seen a case so severe. Tseng turned back to the redhead, smiling gently. Reno had been ill and kept in an induced coma for the past six days after being drugged with an unknown substance the guards had slipped in his water. He had woken of his own accord however, the coma seemingly no longer necessary.

"He's taking his time, but he's getting there..." Tseng reassured, Reno smirking and visibly relaxing himself.

"Same as always..."

"What about you, Reno?"

"Hmm?"

"How are **you **feeling?"

"Well, shit..." Reno smirked, "I'm just fine and dandy. Never been better."

Tseng sighed, shaking his head and rolling his eyes.

"Alright, Alright!" Reno cried, "Geez... I'm ok, but it hurts a fair bit still, ya know? Like on SOLDIER scale, I'd be pretty bad."

"Well at least your ego's in tact..." Tseng cocked an eyebrow, Reno scowling slightly.

"I'm glad you're ok... You cocky little bastard, you had us all worried..." Tseng sighed, before he the redhead's hand to his mouth and kissed it gently. Reno's eyes widened a little in surprise, before he grinned sheepishly.

"Well shit yo, I thought I might have dreamt that..." Reno snorted, apparently taken aback. Tseng reeled.

_...Had he not wanted that?..._

He prepared himself for the usualy cycle of heartache, withdrawing his hand from Reno's, and turning his eyes to his knees.

"Hey..." Reno said softly, reclaiming his hold on the Commander's hand, "I didn't say it was a bad dream, ya know?"

Tseng forced his eyes upwards as Reno ran his thumb over the Commander's knuckles, and the Commander saw something he never thought he would.

"Reno... are you... blushing?" Tseng smiled, the redhead snorting nervously.

"Pffsh, yeah, sure..." The redhead shrugged, "I dunno... I like... like you, you know?"

Tseng smiled widely, Reno looking away, scratching his head, his IV tube smacking into his face, and becoming tangled around his ear. Tseng brushed away the tube, leaving his hand to rest on Reno's face, tracing the high cheekbones that lay there. Reno's skin warmed significantly beneath his touch, as Tseng fixed his eyes on Reno's, locking them there like he had planned.

"I'm glad to hear that..." Tseng said genuinely, his fingers feeling as if they were going to ignite from the heat of Reno's cheeks.

"I just... you know, I've only ever like... experimented with guys... or, you know... no serious shit or anything..." Reno fumbled for words, his cheeks almost brighter then his hair, "you know?"

Tseng resisted the urge to laugh, choosing to squeeze Reno's hand instead.

"You're somewhat adorable, Reno..." Tseng smirked, Reno sulking suddenly, snatching his hand away in order to cross his arms defiantly. He was still clearly embarrassed, his cheeks a healthy pink. This time Tseng did laugh slightly.

"**No** Turk is **adorable**..." Reno huffed, "I could be hot, sexy, spunky, bad-ass magnetic, or.. or..."

"All of the above in one way or another..." Tseng smirked, "But I still think you look adorable right now."

"Evil bastard you are..." Reno sulked, still allowing Tseng to caress his cheek, lulling the redhead into submission. Reno jumped slightly however when Tseng leapt to his feet at breakneck speed, spinning to face the door with EMR already charged and drawn.

Had Tseng not been so distracted with Reno, he would have been able to recognise the presence calmly, and simply stood to greet the visitor. Only one person he had ever met exuded such high levels of mako, strength and power.

"General..." Tseng began, before Sephiroth held up a hand.

"No Tseng, not here, not now..." The ever majestic figure replied somewhat casually. Tseng smiled warmly. He was always welcoming the thought of speaking to his friend, not his leader.

_...Good... priority rebalancing was exactly what he needed... Well done Zachary..._

"Sephiroth then, I can't say how reassuring it is to see you here..." Tseng nodded slightly, "Or how pleased I am..."

"It took some effort getting in, I must admit..." Sephiroth mused, "But although your Turks are trained well, they did not seem to be putting up much of a fight. In fact... it was almost as if they were backing down gladly... It was quite unusual..."

"Yes, well I can assure you the only reason they are there is..."

"Shinra's orders, I am aware..." Sephiroth replied, a tone of bitter annoyance skuliking in his voice, "But it was gracious of them to let me through..."

"I would never stop you from getting in here..." Tseng smiled knowingly. Sephiroth nodded gratefully, before looking past Tseng and nodding in Reno's direction. Sephiroth then entered the room and approached the redhead's side.

"General..." Reno nodded curtly.

"Are you always this stubborn?" Sephiroth mused.

"Always..." Tseng jumped in with a smile, before Reno could say a word.

"He's been trained by you, I expect no less..." Sephiroth smirked, before turning back to the redhead, his expression much more serious.

"I wanted to say two things, Reno, if you would permit me?" Sephiroth queried.

Reno eyed his visitor suspiciously, but made no objection to the request.

"Thank you, firstly... and I also wanted to... apologise..." Sephiroth said somewhat humbly. Reno's eyes widened slightly in surprise, though he held his suspicious gaze.

"You're welcome. You needed it, you ignorant bastard..." Reno said finally, although no anger or bitterness rang through his words, "But I can't forgive you."

Tseng gaped at the redhead. Surely he didn't just say what he thought he did? Even if he did, he could have _meant _it?"

Sephiroth remained emotionless as the words almost seemed to reverberate of the walls.

"I can understand that..." Sephiroth nodded, turning to leave.

"I can't forgive you when you didn't mean any of that shit, yo. As for me getting the shit kicked out of me, and blondie getting the raw deal? You can't seriously think that was you? Nothing to be forgiven for, ya know?" Reno shrugged nonchalantly. Tseng smiled softly at the redhead, as Sephiroth nodded again.

"Thank you again Reno..." Sephiroth said quietly, "Perhaps another thing I needed to hear from you."

Tseng nodded, Reno doing the same, before Sephiroth turned to leave, pausing before heading for the door.

The General looked instead at the half closed door across the hall and seemingly froze. Tseng grabbed his arm, the General's eyes turning to meet his own.

"Enough of this..." Tseng said sternly, "You can only stall for so long. Go to him."

Sephiroth's emerald green faltered slightly in a brilliant flash of grey, conflict seemingly overpowering.

"He doesn't look as he should, but you know that much is expected..." Tseng said significantly gentler, "But he needs you."

"Yes..." Sephiroth replied flatly, face remaining expressionless as he headed for the doorway and across the hall. Tseng sighed softly, before returning his eyes to Reno's slight smirk, the Commander unable to stop the pride showing through his smile.

"What?" Reno asked indignantly.

"You're a rare breed, Reno..." Tseng smiled, the redhead shrugging off the comment.

"Really, you're a gentleman at heart..."

Reno snorted at the last statement, before looking across the hall. He then furrowed his brow slightly, Tseng letting out another small sigh.

"He'll be fine. He's healing quickly, and the General is..." Tseng began, Reno cutting in.

"Sephiroth is my worry, ya know?" Reno frowned.

_...You and I both..._

--

The small bedside table cast a dim light around the room, reflected slightly in the monitors surrounding the blonde. Cloud's chest rose and fell in a barely noticeable movement, taking in the bare amount of oxygen necessary. Sephiroth had not yet made it to the blonde's bedside, standing barely inside the door when he'd first laid eyes on the blonde, and halting where he stood. He recalled on Zack's words resounding in his head, hoping for the extra reassurance he felt he needed.

_..."Although it may be painful for you, he'll know you're there"..._

Sephiroth forced himself to the chair by Cloud's bed, taking a hesitant seat, eyes never leaving the blonde's face. His chest was bare, and had become uncovered by the blankets. Zack hadn't managed to find any pyjamas in Cloud's bedroom, only sweatshirts, tracksuit pants and combat wear.

"I swear he had a few pairs! He must have them stashed away somewhere..." Zack had frowned in thought, "So the nurses said to just bring him some sweatpants. His room's heated anyway..."

Sephiroth stifled a sigh, finding great difficulty in focusing on anything but the pain etched on the silent face. He had been unable to avoid the sight of Cloud's arms and torso when he'd first caught sight of the blonde. He was bruised badly, and the scars where Hojo had done God knows what were darkened on Cloud's deathly pale skin. Sephiroth reached out a hand for Cloud's pale cheeks, but restrained, pulling back as if stung.

_...No, you don't want to risk hurting him again..._

He chose instead to rest his hands on the side railing of the bed, watching over Cloud with a sickening worry he hadn't felt before. His mind constantly plagued with the one thought.

_...How could you think that I don't care for you?.._

It became all too obvious all too quickly however. Sephiroth was not one to show affection. The main reason for this being that he wasn't sure how to. But he knew that Cloud really meant something to him. Cloud was different to the other flings, so called relationships, or sexual encounters. He had sensed the new person in the room, but remained how he was, not threatened by the all too familiar presence.

"You're very lucky not to have been caught, General..." A soft voice said gently, Sephiroth looking up. Rosie smiled at him, as she stood in the doorway, a new IV bag in hand.

"Rosalyn. They ended up transferring you afterall..." Sephiroth nodded, Rosie moving over to the other side of Cloud's bed.

"Yes. Apparently the almighty General refused this handsome young man treatment from anyone else..." Rosie continued to smile softly, Sephiroth facing Cloud once again.

"I didn't know of anyone else that is as qualified..." Sephiroth stated.

"That's nonsense. But I am glad you trust me enough, Sephiroth..." She nodded, her smile seemingly sadder as she paused, "I'm surprised it took you so long to sneak in..."

"I was refused access. Shinra seems to believe I should be out doing his dirty work for him rather then in here..." Sephiroth scowled slightly, and Rosie rolled her eyes.

"As far as i know, we're still to kick you out if we find you, and yet here you are..." She raised an ayebrow, Sephiroth nodding. Rosie sighed, as she gently picked up Cloud's hand, squeezing it softly.

"I don't want to alarm you at all, but he should be healing a little quicker then this..." Rosie frowned, her eyes becoming slightly glossy, "It's almost as if he's hurting in ways we can't fix..."

"There is always a way to heal..." Sephiroth frowned, looking down at the blonde, mild panic racing through him. Cloud had always been a fast healer, and now he was falling behind the usual time? Something just seemed all too wrong about it.

"I have to leave for other patients, but I'll close the door behind me to try to stop you from being seen..." Rosie smiled slightly, before placing Cloud's hand in Sephiroth's, "And sometimes... the healing isn't phsycial..."

Rosie nodded, wrapping Sephiroth's finger's around the blonde's and leaving promptly with the empty IV bag, closing the door behind her with a soft click.

Cloud's skin was cold to the touch, but it was how Sephiroth had remembered, a gentle softness, even across calloused palms and fingers. He ran a finger over the thick scar tainting Cloud's pale wrist.

"He'll bleed for this..." Sephiroth hissed under his breath, an overwhelming blood lust for Hojo swamping him in a moment of insanity. Cloud's monitor beeped loudly several times, as Sephiroth turned his attention to it, but nothing had appeared to change.

"...Cloud?" Sephiroth said softly, squeezing the blonde's hand gently. His heart almost stopped as the tension seemed to be easing slightly across the blonde's face.

_...It's not possible... that he heard me... is it? _

"I'm... sorry, Cloud..." Sephiroth whispered, "I'm sorry that you ever had doubts..."

Nothing happened to Cloud's vital signs, but his face continued to ease some of the tension. Sephiroth smirked to himself. This seemed so much like a soap opera to him. He'd seen one of the shows that Zack had been caught watching, misty eyed as he clutched onto a cushion, glued to the screen.

_**"Zachary?" Sephiroth questioned the behaviour, the first class tumbling off the couch.**_

_**"Jesus Christ Seph! Do you have to be so damn quiet all the time?!" Zack cried, as his face re-emerged above the cushions.**_

_**"You look rather emotional..." Sephiroth smirked, Zack grinning sheepishly, "What on Earth could be happening on a T.V program that could have a feared SOLDIER worked up?"**_

_**"Uh... It was a horror... the uh... the hot guy got killed... yeah... stabbed and maimed to death. Blood everywhere! Real manly scary stuff, you know?" Zack stammered, Sephiroth peering past the Lieutenant to see a hospital scene, un unconscious girl lying in the bed as a dashing young man held her hand. **_

_**"Terrifying..." Sephiroth smirked, Zack sucking in a long breath, seeming to prepare an explanation.**_

_**"Stephanie was in a car accident and fell into a coma. Lucian has been at her bedside everyday since she went into hospital, waiting for her to wake up so he can confess his undying love to her which he has kept hidden, because Stephanie is in some kind of a relationship with Richard, who is actually having an affair with Marissa who is pregnant with his child!" Zack gasped, taking in a large breath, as Sephiroth cocked an eyebrow. **_

_**"And this is some kind of emotional scene?"**_

_**"Eric, who is Marissa's father, and also Stephanie's doctor has come in and told Lucian that Stephanie might not make it, and that even if she does, she is intending to marry that slimeball Richard, as Eric and Stephanie are unaware of the affair and everything that's going on behind scenes, even as Marissa and Richard have BOTH disappeared on a plane to Mideel to live their life in secret and bring up their secret taboo love child!" Zack cried, ending with somewhat of a high pitched squeal. Sephiroth said nothing, smirk growing wider as Zack scowled.**_

_**"Well if you'll excuse me, I'm missing vital points here..." Zack huffed, turning back to the TV and falling onto the couch. Sephiroth watched with mild interest, as the screen showed the young man holding the girl's hand and talking to her, her vital signs miraculously returning to normal as her eyelids fluttered open.**_

_**"Ohmygawwwwd!!" Zack squealed, as the lad undoubtedly confessing his undying love for the injured girl, and she returned the favour.**_

_**"Guah! Yay! Oh, I so gotta call mum about this. This is major news..." Zack beamed. **_

_**"Do the other first class's watch this show?" Sephiroth queried. Zack snorted at the question.**_

_**"Are you kidding? It's a bit like... uh... amusing for them when guys watch these things..." Zack shrugged, turning to face the General, smiling, before dropping into a frown at the devious smirk on Sephiroth's face.**_

_**"You wouldn't DARE..." Zack gaped, Sephiroth remaining silent, continuing to smirk.**_

_**"That's alright, I'll just tell them that you prefer guys over girls, and lead the swarm of followers to your door..." Zack shrugged, Sephiroth dropping his smirk. Zack grinned, turning around.**_

_**"That's what I thought..." He said smugly.**_

_**"I only said I had somewhat of an interest in the same gender!" Sephiroth retorted, Zack shrugging.**_

_**"Same thing..." Zack shrugged again, returning once again to the television, "Oh God, the cuteness. They couldn't even get a reaction from Stephanie until he started talking to her and holding her hand like that. Super cool."**_

_**"Completely unrealistic..." Sephiroth rolled his eyes. **_

_**"Dunno Seph. Apparently people in comas can like... tell when you're talking to them or touching them. Like, they can hear you through all their subconscious and everything. It helps them heal. Didn't Gast write a research paper on that?" Zack asked, turning to face the General. **_

_**"Sounds familiar..." Sephiroth replied vaguely, recalling on the information of the many research papers he had read out of boredom in Gast's and Hojo's company.**_

_..."If a subject is familiar with and calmed by the presence of particular individuals, even the sounds of their voice, a trigger in their subconscious will relax the individual into increased healing. The same reaction is similar to that of touch, where the patient is also lulled into a state of relaxed healing. Out of 100 patients subject to comatosed situations, eighty five percent of these individuals healed at a quicker rate then what was perceived as a normal healing time, or deemed 'miraculous' by the medical staff treating them."..._

Sephiroth looked down at the blonde, slight discomfort still across his face. He reached out and brushed the blonde hairs from Cloud's face, squeezing his hand tighter as he felt the coldness of Cloud's skin brushed beneath his fingers.

"Zack's been visiting... I don't know if you know that, but I'm presuming that being in the lifestream would get you a little more informed then usual..." Sephiroth stated, "Tseng has to, as well as visiting Reno..."

Cloud frowned slightly, apparently registering the statements Sephiroth was making.

"Reno's ok... if that helps..." Sephiroth sighed slightly, before nodding, Cloud's frown ebbing away.

"I'm glad you can hear me..." Sephiroth said quietly, "It's reassuring in a small way. But I..."

It was an awkward situation. It had always been difficult to express emotion so freely, and it had seemed even more so, expressing emotion to a comatosed Cloud. Sephiroth had felt somewhat embarrassed, feeling as if he were talking to himself, but it was offering him a window of opportunity that he had to take. If it got Cloud better, he didn't mind all that much.

"I... miss your company..." Sephiroth sighed, squeezing Cloud's hand again, before his cell phone buzzed shrilly. He almost ignored it, watching the blonde for any change or improvement. He removed the offending device from his coat and flicked it open.

"Yes?" He scowled down the line.

"You're not going to believe this. Come over to my place, I've dug up some info on our snaky scientist..." Zack said hurriedly, Sephiroth's eyes burning, mako beginning to pump through already. All it took was a mention of Hojo, and his composure slipped.

"Is this information reliable?"

"Pffsh, come on, it's me!" Zack cried, seemingly slightly offended, "_All_ of my information is reliable. Come on, get your ass over here..."

"I'm going to remind you I'm your commanding officer, Zachary..." Sephiroth frowned.

"Sorry. Get your ass over here, _Sir_..." Zack teased.

"Zachary..." Sephiroth restrained himself, as Zack hurriedly cut in.

"See you soon!"

_...I can see my death certificate now...Name: Sephiroth. Cause of Death: Zachary Fair..._

Sephiroth watched the blonde for a short time longer, but nothing had visibly changed.

"Get better soon..." Sephiroth said lowly, before he stuffed his phone back in his coat pocket and slunk out of the room. Had he looked back as he was leaving, he may have seen the edges of the blonde's lips curling into a gentle smile.

--

"Near Bone Village?" Sephiroth barked, his eyes absolutely flaming, as Zack coiled back slightly.

"Yes... He's been offering to assist the escavators there since Shinra axed him. I guess he feels he needs somewhere quiet to earn his money..." Zack shrugged.

"Or hide like the filth he is..." Sephiroth spat, pacing the room once again. Zack sighed inwardly. Sephiroth was in one of his blood lustful moods, and by being the only living individual in the proximity, it was times like these that he made Zack anxious.

"Yessss... BUT! We know where he is now, right? Shouldn't take to long to get to Bone Village. Especially considering Tseng will be wanting to fly out immediately, I presume, now that he's seen Reno awake and arrogant as ever..." Zack mused.

"He won't want to stay with him?" Sephiroth asked, Zack shaking his head slightly.

"Turks always have their priorities right. He'll have Rude there for Reno. I spoke to Tseng earlier, and he seemed just about as eager as you to make some progress..."

"We'll leave now..."

"We can't leave _**now**__..._" Zack sighed exasperatedly, "We won't have clearance until at least tomorrow afternoon!"

"Who needs clearance?"

"Uh, we do!" Zack cried, "We could all lose our jobs for this!"

"No, I don't think we _all_ can..." Sephiroth replied, "As much as I'm sure it dismays Shinra at times, he can not terminate mine or Tseng's position without twelve months notice."

"Are you shitting me? Twelve _**months**__?_" Zack gaped. Sephiroth shrugged it off.

"It's part of our contracts. We would accept no less, so Shinra didn't have much of a choice..."

"That's some contract..."

"Not overly... I'm married to this position..."

"Married?"

"Till death do us part."

"Dude, maybe consider an affair or something... I dunno, some saucy public relations position or something?"

Zack smirked. Sephiroth watched Zack carefully, before smirking also. Zack slightly shook his head. Sephiroth hadn't grasped the concept of humour fully yet, and chose instead to mimic Zack when he smirked in an attmept at interaction.

"ANYWAY... Wait for a few hours at least. Don't do anything too stupid..." Zack sighed, Sephiroth already heading for the door.

"I'll have to brief the Commander. Knowing Tseng, we'll then need some kind of operation plan I presume. That means we won't be ready for some time anyway..." Sephiroth scowled.

"There's nothing wrong with being prepared and having back-ups, you know?" Zack shrugged, "Even you two can get your asses in hot water..."

The sudden thought hit Zack suddenly however. Shinra wouldn't know about this mission. Sephiroth would simply be considered absent.

"NO!" Zack groaned, Sephiroth pausing as he reached for the handle.

"No?" Sephiroth frowned, "You're confusing at the best of times, Lieutenant..."

"If you two are supposedly absent, then that means I automatically fill your position and Rude becomes Turk commander!" Zack whined.

"It won't kill you..."

"No, but if Scarlett doesn't before tomorrow's morning meeting, I may very well do the job myself!" Zack pouted, Sephiroth smirking slightly.

"Good luck. I'll drop in before we leave..." The receding General nodded, closing the door behind him before Zack got to protest. Zack flung the door back open however and shouted down the hallways.

"YOU'RE A PAIN IN MY ASS, SIR!"

Tseng continued penting his fingers, eyes glowing dangerously in the flickering light of the fireplace. Sephiroth watched with curiousity. He had never witnessed Tseng so deep in thought, and was all too familiar with what may very well be running through his mind. He himself had spent a large amount of time planning the painful death of the professor in the confines of his mind, and Zack had sat watching him, as he was with Tseng now.

He had knocked on the Commander's door, a slight smile on his lips when Tseng opened the door in a pair of slacks and a rich navy shirt, apparently his casual gear. Tseng had invited him in to his apartment graciously, the immaculate condition not surprising Sephiroth in the slightest. He had been in Tseng's quarters many times previously, and it had always remained the same. It was similar in layout to Sephiroth's, and kept in the same pristine condition. Although, where Sephiroth's home had always appeared to be a vacant display home, Tseng had the few signs of comfort which gave his quarters such a warmth and comfort that Sephiroth's did not. There were several paintings covering each of the walls of a small Wutain village, or landscapes of various places across the world. There was a vase of colourful flowers displayed on the Commanders coffee table, mainly violets and gerberas. A half emptied fruit bowl was on Tseng's kitchen bench, as well as various photos plastered over his fridge, showing that Tseng spent his time in house in the kitchen. Sephiroth couldn't find fault with this, having tasted Tseng's cooking afterall, and sampling the exotic Wautainese fruit that Tseng favoured greatly.

"Fruit from Wutai is the sweetest. The only thing that comes close is Gongagan fruit, but it's so much more expensive to ship..." Tseng had smiled one evening, handing Sephiroth what resembled an apple, but was slightly purple in colour. Sephiroth had eyed the object suspiciously, the belief firmly imprinted in his mind that apples should **not** be purple. Tseng let out a soft sigh.

"If the Turks wanted you dead by now, you would be..." He smirked, Sephiroth not able to defy the logic as he bit into the fruit.

None of the friendliness which usually hung across Tseng's haunting eyes lingered now however, shadows lurking in a pit of fire which seemed to only be fuelled by the turk's brooding thoughts. Sephiroth had been alongside Tseng when he had committed Turk duties. He had seen the Commander commit unspeakable acts and all with the same expression now etched across his face. It was the look of a calculated killer.

"We could leave in an hour if I can get my support crew briefed within that time..." Tseng finally said, finalizing the plan. They had sat for some time discussing the locations possible for finding Hojo, what was to happen if anything had gone wrong, if they were to stick to protocol should one of them be taken down, as well as a variety of the procedures and techniques they would need to rely upon to do this without getting caught or raising suspicion. They were to first land in Bone Village and inform the locals that Hojo had been reassigned by Shinra to return to duties, and not to expect him any longer. This of course left less chance of Hojo being found. After following standard procedures of this, they would return to the helicopter and locate Hojo's house. They would land a minimum of a kilometre from the site, so as not to give Hojo any warning of their presence or arrival, before disembarking and approaching the house directly. It was simply a matter of approaching the house and knocking on the door, waiting for Hojo to open it.

"I'll let Zack know of the plan, I suggest you inform your crew immediately..." Sephiroth nodded, as the pair rose from Tseng's chairs and made their way towards the door, the Commander still silently ominous in appearance, as he stopped and locked eyes with the General. A small smirk licked at his lips, before he nodded, answering with the only two words necessary.

"Yes sir."

"You have GOT to be shitting me?!" Reno cried, almost flinging himself from the bed, as Tseng let out a small sigh, Rude smirking at the currently arising situation.

"You're still ill, Reno. So no, I am not... 'shitting' you, as you put it..." Tseng replied calmly, the redhead clawing at his IV drips apparently trying to disconnect them. Tseng swatted his hands away, and held the redhead down, as Rosie injected a mild sedative to calm Reno down.

"Grargh! Rude man, help me out here!" Reno cried, locking eyes with the bald Turk, who merely shrugged and smirked wider.

"You're to stay here and behave yourself. I'm not going to argue with you while you're wearing a dress Reno..." Tseng replied, Rude snorting, as the redhead scowled.

"Gow-n. It's a _gown_... and besides, I'm totally capable of opening up a classic can of whhoop ass on that psycho fucker, ya know?" Reno replied huffily.

"You're staying here Reno, as a direct order. Rude, Rosie, could you please leave the room for a moment? I'd like a word with Reno..." Tseng asked politely, the two leaving and closing the door behind them. Tseng turned his gaze back to Reno and shook his head slightly.

"You can not seriously believe I'd risk having you near him?" Tseng pleaded for reasoning, the redhead taking none of it, his stubborness rising again.

"Tseng, I _need _to be there... I don't even have to _do _it, I just need to _be _there, ya know?" Reno pleaded with his own reasoning tone.

Tseng cradled Reno's head in his hands, Reno flicking his eyes away.

"Look at me..." Tseng urged, Tseng watching as Reno forced his eyes to meet his own, "Would I ever say no without reason? Would I ever do something that I knew might hurt you, if I wasn't protecting you from something worst? Would I ever put you in danger before I would put myself?"

"You're Commander of the Turks, it's in your God damn job description..." Reno cocked an eyebrow defiantly. He was a real pain in Tseng's ass. Tseng simply held eyes with the redhead and said nothing, waiting for Reno to try and register the facts.

"...Look after yourself yo..." Reno shrugged in resignation, "That bastard's got more then a few screws loose..."

Tseng smiled softly, before leaning in and placing a gentle kiss on the redhead's lips. He smirked, Reno scowling deeply, as he turned to leave. He stopped however, as the redhead snared his hand.

"Like hell you're gonna leave me like that..." He snapped, yanking Tseng back down to level, and almost devouring the Commander in a heated kiss. When Tseng was finally able to pull back, as flustered as he was, Reno smirked deviously.

"Selfish bastard, as if you weren't gonna do that..." Reno continued to smirk cockily, Tseng raising an eyebrow as he smirked in reply, smoothing his hair as he stood by the door.

"Don't worry, I'll bring you back something shiny..." He quirked, before leaving the redhead smirking in triumph.

--

Hojo scowled, lifting himself from his armchair, throwing a bitter glance towards the clock on the wall as he shuffled to the door. He'd spent three long nights in a row doing that pointless and non-sensical graveyard shift for these people, and now they dare ask him again?

...and in such weather too...

He scowled menacingly, as he approached the door before swinging it open viciously, his words catching in his throat as the blood drained from his face at the sight before him. The night was completely dark, no light illuminating the snow around his cottage. The only visible light were the four pools of burning green, as two sets of familiar narrowed eyes focused solely on him.

"Good evening professor..." came the polite yet chillingly cold greeting, before Hojo was knocked backwards with a precise and calculated punch.. He tried scrambling to his pager on the coffee table, but instead felt a firm grip on his ankle, moments before being hoisted into the air. He scowled bitterly at the pair of all too familiar leather boots he now swung before.

"General..." Hojo struggled for the composure he valued so highly, "Commander... I had been expecting you, just not so soon..."

Hojo's lip throbbed viciously as his own blood filled his mouth from the newly formed wound. He thanked God that he was capable of losing substancial amounts of blood before unconsciousness set in. In his current situation, he expected nothing less.

"Should we kill him now or later?" Tseng asked casually, Sephiroth shaking the professor slightly by his ankle.

"Later, I think..." Came the baritone reply, before Hojo found himself once again acquainted with his floorboards. It was a temporary meeting however, Sephiroth now choosing to grab Hojo by his collar, before slamming him into the wall. That had hurt. Years of working with mako had raised Hojo's pain threshold to a high level. Even with the most recent punch dealt by the Turk Commander, he had felt little pain. It had been almost ten years since anything had caused a high enough level of pain for Hojo to bite back a hiss. He mused silently at the fact that it had been delivered by the same owner of the same hateful green eyes now piercing his own, as the General smirked deviously.

_**"Sephiroth, come here and have your shot..." Hojo cooed reassuringly.**_

_**"No." **_

_**It had not been a refusal, more like a demand. He'd only just started increasing the boy's mako level, and it had now become harder then ever to persuade Sephiroth to sit still and receive the shots. He gestured at the surrounding guards to secure the boy. As soon as they placed a foot forward, Sephiroth held up a hand, ever the commander.**_

_**"Don't make me. I will not refuse to use force..." He replied flatly. Hojo had always wondered at the boy's maturity. He'd certainly been different from the others, even whilst he learned to walk. He refused help, and he taught himself more then any of his carers ever could. **_

_**"Genesis and Angeal have already had their shots Sephiroth, don't be difficult..." Hojo sighed impatiently. **_

_**"Where are they then?"**_

_**"In recovery."**_

_**"So something made them ill? Something made them need to recover?"**_

_**The piercing emerald gaze was questioning, defiant, and filled with an un-natural glow. Another puzzling feature of the child's. Mako shine was not meant to develop until the individual was capable of Second Class dosage. They had only just boosted the subjects up to Third Class, and yet there was a definite shine in Sephiroth's eyes. Maybe it had always been there, Hojo was not one to pay much attention to such pointless details. **_

_**"They were tired..." Hoho replied. Sephiroth shook his head, shoulder length silver hair swinging past the boys face as he did so.**_

_**"Why do you lie to me?" **_

_**"They were tired Sephiroth."**_

_**"You did something to them. You hurt them. My friends."**_

_**"They'd been playing for too long and simply ne-"**_

_**"Stop."**_

_**A command, not a statement. A demand, not a request. Hojo had had enough.**_

_**"Just grab him..." He sighed, the guards moving forward.**_

_**Masamune sliced cleanly through the outstretched hand of a guard, Sephiroth calm and composed, as the guard fell to his knees, writhing. Hojo gaped slightly in spite of himself, unable to recall the sword being drawn or even Sephiroth wielding it prior to the dismemberment. **_

_...such speed..._

_**The guards stood watching in horror, backing slightly away from the situation. **_

_**"What? He's a boy for crying out loud, are you men or not?" Hojo barked.**_

_**Admitedly, he had expected what followed, and yes, he could go as far as to say he had set it up well. Sephiroth had been blocked from view by the surrounding guards one moment, standing over their writhing bodies the next, Masamune letting droplets of blood land with an audible thud on the polished floor at his feet. There was not another sound to be heard other then the cries of the dismembered guards. Hojo observed with some curiousity, as he noted that at least two of the guards appeared to be dead. **_

_**"And why did you do this Sephiroth?" Hojo asked, reaching for his notebook, awaiting the boy's response. He felt Masamune this time, slicing through the book, and effectively, Hojo's chest. Hojo hissed, as Sephiroth wiped the blade clean on a nearby guard's uniform, before sheathing it promptly, shaking his head.**_

_**"No more. No more pain. No more of this torture..." Sephiroth said quietly, turning eyes away from the professor, eyes brimming with tears, "Not to Angeal... Not to Genesis..."**_

_**Hojo cluthced his chest, falling to his knees and pressing the emergency button on his pager.**_

_**"You care... about them... so much?" Hojo asked, Sephiroth nodding slowly, wiping tears from his youthful face.**_

_**"Yes..." **_

They had put a stop to that, Sephiroth taking his shots under sedation from then onwards until he begged to be released from his 'drug induced hell'. Hojo had learnt from that day forward, just how incredible the General was. He could not have been more self-satisfied with his results. He'd been asked to raise a child, and in turn, had created the perfect soldier in the form of his own blood. It was history repeating now, Hojo being caught out harming one of Sephiroth's most cared for individuals, and the General seeking his own methods of justice in return.

"I think we should play..." Sephiroth said coldly, glancing at his accomplice, "Don't you?"

Hojo flicked his eyes to the Turk Commander, as he smirked in the professor's direction. Tseng reached out and grabbed Hojo's face sharply where he had planted his fist earlier.

"Of course General..." Tseng replied amused, ice licking at his every word, "He doesn't look nearly as... damaged... as I'd like him to be..."

_...Screw it. If I'm going to cop this, I want it to be enjoyable..._

"Did he die?" Hojo asked Sephiroth flatly.

"No, yet another failure from you..." Sephiroth smirked.

"Oh? He was saying he wished he would... 'Dear God, let it end. Kill me. I want to die' or something along those lines..." Hojo replied airily, copping another slam into the wall, hearing his own head thud in the process, the blood from a presumed fracture seeping through his lab coat.

"Enough..." Sephiroth hissed, his eyes swirling intensely with pain and guilt, Hojo letting out a small sigh.

_...Ah... I see... I never thought you would fall as low as __love__... how disappointing..._

"I remember the deeper cuts... He screamed for you... he _begged_ for you.." This time, feeling the swift punch of the Commander colliding once more with his cheekbone.

"You don't learn, do you?" Tseng smirked dangerously, "As thoroughly amusing as you may find this, nothing helps your cause..."

As Tseng spoke, Sephiroth deliberately, slowly, unsheathed Masamune, seemingly examining the blade intently. For the second time in his life, Sephiroth had been too quick for Hojo's eyes, even too quick to register. The only thing he saw was the gleam in Sephiroth's mako fuelled eyes, the only thing he felt was the trickling of blood down his torso, and the tingling sensation of the curative mako coursing through his blood stream.

Then, the agony.

The fire racing through his blood as it flowed from the gaping gash across his chest. He gasped sharply, Sephiroth smirking ferally at the sound, as Hojo reached to clutch at his wound. it was healing, but he was no SOLDIER. The healing time would be long, the pain lasting for weeks to come, and that was only to presume he may survive the ordeal. He drew back his hand and watched the crimson trail fall from his fingers once more, his mouth urging a quicker end.

"He cried too... such silent tears... such wonderful blue... and yet... he still looked so... empty..." Hojo smirked between gasps, Sephiroth's eyes continuing to swilr, the life within them choking, reeling on the information, holding back the rage at his own guilt. Then he slashed again, the only sign of the new attack the increase of burn, the increase of blood, the increase of agony. He was hitting the General in ways he had never been able to achieve previously in their controlled lab environments.

_...I need to see this... if you're going to kill me... I at least need to see this..._

Tseng revelled in the clear pain etched across Hojo's features, but was burning and aching at the mirrored expression across Sephiroth's. He was silently willing the General to block the words, the slander, ignore the bitter revelations from the spiteful mouth before them. As much as Hojo had bled, as much as he was now in agony, he managed to find pleasure in the pain and conflict he was now causing Sephiroth. Hojo had regained a position of control that Tseng had heard he bore on Sephiroth since the General's childhood, and Sephiroth himself seemed not to notice. Tseng placed a reassuring hand on Sephiroth's shoulder, easing Sephiroth from Hojo's side, holding the professor against the wall himself. He was vaguely aware of Sephiroth sinking into thought behind him, his back now turned to the situation. Hojo chose now to lock eyes with Tseng, smirking as he coughed up blood on the deep navy uniform Tseng wore.

"Ah... and the redhead... how could I forget?" Hojo smirked, Tseng remaining blank and void of emotion, "Is he out of his coma yet?"

"Yesterday. I'll be sure to pass on your regards..." Tseng replied flatly.

"Indeed, please, make sure you do... the worst of his is yet to come. He was out, what, seven days?" Hojho pressed, Tseng refusing to bite, "In any case, he has about a week until phase two kicks in..."

"What did you do this time?" Sephiroth hissed suddenly, the professor smirking wider.

"He'll presumably come down with an experimental virus. It's not contagious at all. you'll be happy to hear, but I'm not sure if it's lethal or not yet..." Hojo waved away the statement, "But if it does happen to kill him, be sure to document it, won't you?"

Tseng could handle no more, snapping out his EMR and setting the voltage to maximum before plunging the charge into Hojo's crotch. There was a sickening popping sound, Hojo wailing ferally as he fell to the ground.

"God forbid... if someone asks you to provide them with a child... be sure to document why you can't, won't you?" tseng hissed, trying desperately to contain his rage, before spitting on the professor. Blood continued seeping through Hojo's pants as he continued his animalistic cry.

"Do it..." Hojo choked, Sephiroth approaching, quirking his head at the plea.

"You _want_ us to kill you?" Sephiroth frowned in mock puzzlement, a twisted grin licking at the corners of his lips.

"Just... do it..." Hojo gurgled, tears streaming down his face as his blood bubbled in his mouth. Sephiroth looked down in what appeared to be a mixture of deep thought and disgust.

"I don't think I want to anymore..." Sephiroth replied coldly, "Did you ever find out how quickly mako heals broken bones?"

"No..." Hojo rattled in a strangled sob. Tseng let Hojo fall to the ground as Sephiroth approached his legs. The General rested his feet on Hojo's shinbones, watching with intent as Hojo realised the looming threat. Tseng sucked in a breath, his own realization setting in. It was a fluid motion, the two loud snaps that resulted, informing Sephiroth of his success. Hojo had picked a bad place to reside. Had he any neighbours, his piercing scream would very well have been heard. Sephiroth knelt slowly, Hojo trying desperately to block the General from his view. Sephiroth roughly clutched at Hojo's legs and cast a cure3.

"I wouldn't try walking for awhile. Was it your research paper that pointed out the dangers of incorrectly set bones and the ever lasting pains?" Sephiroth mused, "And about the need for resetting within a few hours to reverse effects entirely?"

Hojo sobbed quietly, shuddering as no more then a bloodied mess on the floorboards.

"Pathtic really..." Tseng sighed in disgust, "We should very well put such a beast out of it's misery... like a humane individual in pain so rightly deserves."

"Or we could leave him here like the filth he is..." Sephiroth waved his hand, brushing Tseng's option aside, "And see if he survives..."

"I say to at least up the ante a little..." Tseng smirked in reply, Sephiroth nodding, holding Masamune above Hojo's abdomen.

Hojo's eyes flashed with alarm, but was quickly replaced with relief.

"Do it boy... no point in leaving things unfinished..." He sighed, Sephiroth's mind snapping into a buried memory.

_**"Why are you just standing there boy?" Hojo snapped, Sephiroth standing over the wounded Guard. Hojo had made the guard ambush him, he'd had no choice but to attack. Since their lab experience, where Hojo had pushed so far, the scientist had been almost maniacal in his quests to provide Sephiroth's strength and ability.**_

_**"I don't want to..." **_

_**"He's going to die anyway, make it quicker for him." Hojo rolled his eyes, as Sephiroth still clutched to Masamune as if his life depended upon it. Ultimately, he knew it did. **_

_**"Professor... I don't want to..." **_

_**"He shouldn't have to! Leave him alone!" Angeal cried from behind the door, where he had been trying futilely to burst in. Angeal banged heavily against the frames once again.**_

_**"Reinforced steel, boys. Stay out of this!" Hojo snapped. Sephiroth barely heard it, his attention focused on the terrified eyes of the guard below him, bleeding profusely from the chest and legs. **_

_**"...I don't want to..."**_

_**"Just do it boy! There's no point in leaving things unfinished!" Hojo cried, throwing his arms up in apparent frustration. Sephiroth let out a startled gasp, a sword slicing finely through the guard's throat, his breathing ceasing almost immediately as the fear faded and disappeared.**_

_**"...He needed it..." Came the flat remark, as Genesis stood from where had swooped to attack the guard, Angeal finally bursting through the door.**_

_**"Profes-!" Angeal cried, stopping short on sight of the crimson stains across Genesis' coat, and hanging his head solemnly, "How **__could__** you, Genesis?"**_

_**Genesis said nothing, face blank of emotion as he exited the room, Angeal slinging an arm around Sephiroth, Hojo shaking his head in bitter disappointment.**_

Sephiroth drew himself back to reality, Tseng clearing his throat in polite remembrance of where they were and what they'd come to do. Sephiroth gazed down, his eyes flaring as the memory already began to fade. He would never forget it wholly again, though. Sephiroth plunged suddenly, twisting the blade in Hojo's abdomen before drawing it back out, Hojo unable to utter more then a strangled cry.

"...I don't think I hit any major organs..." Sephiroth shrugged slightly, more of Hojo's blood seeping outwards as he writhed on the floor.

_...Genesis...He never was a monster... not until you took us under..._

"We can only hope..." Tseng scowled, "It'll make for a slower death... We'd better leave before the rotors freeze up."

Tseng turned, eyeing off several materia orbs on the coffee table by the fire. He smiled slightly.

"gifts? Oh, you shouldn't have..." He sighed, placing the orbs in his coat pocket. He spied the cell phone also, picking it up and holding it at arm's length.

"This must have been expensive..." Tseng commented, before tossing it into the fireplace, the device hissing violently.

"Oops..." Sephiroth said quietly, eyes never once leaving Hojo's. The General had a strange look imprinted in his eyes, one of remorse, of remembrance, and most strongly of pain. It would be something Tseng would try to weed out of Sephiroth, but all in due time. They needed to leave.

"Let's go General..." Tseng said softly, Sephiroth nodding slightly, finally sheathing his sword and turning to face the door.

"It was a pleasure being here... professor... you have such a lovely home..." Tseng commented airily, as Sephiroth gave a final look to the scientist, his expression never changing.

"That's...my boy..." Hojo smiled satisfactorily, Tseng closing the door behind him, thoughts reeling at the closing statement of the wounded professor.

--

BWHOA.

Dunno if ANYBODY heard, but Melbourne Australia (My humble abode) was ravaged by massive windstorms, and my house went without power for like, a week and a half. lol. NO ACCESS TO MY FREAKING STORY.

You'll be pleased to know much hand-writing was done however, and I am now aiming for a chapter a week. Yay.

Sorry for lack of fluffiness, but God, I just get too eager. lol.

OH! i have a livejournal account, where I intend to keep updates, as well as an ACTUAL journal. lol.

No stories will be posted on there, just thought you might like to keep updated on progress. XD

candichanspop, it is. Check it. XD


	10. Snow

Woo! Yay for the reviews. lol.

So, here we are once again. Goodness me what a ride. lol.

Argh!

I got angsty! Since when do I get seriously angsty?!

I don't like an angsty Cloud. -slaps self-

Oh yes, before I forget, **HAPPY BIRTHDAY ELLI!! XD**

Lovely little support base she is. lol.

Thank you Kammy, also, for the delctable cookie you gave me. I write for food. Sad fact of life. lol.

I really like starting the story off from Zack's perspective, you know? He's just so... lively. lol.

I SHALL DO IT AGAIN!

buahahaha

**WARNINGS: **Here lies the recipe for this story.

Three cups of **yaoi**, which is boy on boy yay yums.

That means a cup of **lemon **juice. behe.

Five hundred millilitres of **bad language**, which may offend some bakers.

Two tablespoons of cocoa powder, because I like cocoa powder.

One pinch of **angst**, which may cause emotional discomfort or hatred towards the author.

An equal amount of author's blood, sweat and tears.

Blend well, bake for like... COUNTLESS HOURS... and we have...

VOILA!

Chapter Nine.

Bon Apetit.

--

Zack tapped his foot anxiously, drumming his fingers on the metal railing. Zack was vaguely aware of Rosie's eyes fixated on him from the doorway, as the Acting General flicked his attention from Cloud to the window.

"Where did they go, General?" Rosie asked quietly, suddenly. Zack took in a breath, rolling his eyes before he spoke his well recited speech.

"Due to Shinra Company policies, section 29, part 3, I am under direct orders to divulge no information to any employee not otherwise specified by my commanding officer..." Zack rattled. Rosie let out a small, understanding smile, before nodding and silently leaving the room.

_...Sephiroth must have spoken to her..._

The nurse had been quietly hovering around Cloud's room since Sephiroth had left. She'd also regularly been dropping off to Reno's room and checking in the redhead. The pair had been gone for almost 12 hours. Zack wasn't entirely sure what they were setting out to do however, meaning he was also unaware of just how long their journey should be taking. Sephiroth had been more then eager to simply leave in the moment, dropping every other responsibility he held in favour of the trip. Tseng had disagreed, as he usually did, opting for a calculated and reasonable travel plan. The pair had argued for sometime, frustrating Sephiroth to no end. As he was still marked as absent, he held no ranking, and was unable to order Tseng into anything. Once the journey had been planned, the two had disappeared with no further explanation to Zack then what he had heard from Sephiroth previously. Zack let out a long sigh of frustration.

"Sephiroth, you're a total pain in my... Oh my God!" Zack cried mid mumble, leaping to his feet as he locked eyes with pristine blue.

Zack considered the thought very, very carefully, that he may have fallen asleep.

"Uh... Cloud?" Zack hesitated, waving a hand in front of the blonde, his eyes flicking to the various monitors. All of Cloud's signs had increased their strength, and yet, he lay perfectly still and unresponsive, his eyes peering out from beneath half opened lids.

"Ro-siiiiiiie!" Zack cried, eyes unable to move from Cloud's face. The sound of frantic footsteps resounded down the hall.

"General?" Rosie puffed, as she burst through the door. Zack merely gestured wildly at the blonde, Rosie locking her eyes on Cloud and smiling warmly.

"He's like... he's not... What's going on?!" Zack floundered, before Rosie moved and stood beside him, placing gentle hands on his shoulders.

"It's ok Zack. This just means he's out of the lifestream..." She smiled wider, "He should very well be back within a few hours."

"I mean, like his eyes..." Zack paused, "Wait, what?"

"He'll be conscious within a few hours..."

"For reals?"

"Mhmm."

Zack squeaked, before he pulled Rosie into a hug, as the door swung open widely. The nurse turned and gaped at the sight.

"Ah... Blondie's awake or what, hey?" Reno shrugged, IV drip by his side.

"Reno!" Rosie cried in outrage, the redhead shrugging again.

"What?"

"You're out of bed!"

The redhead looked around smugly, and studied the IV drip beside him, poking the bag of fluids lightly.

"...It would appear so..." Reno cocked an eyebrow, turning his attention to Zack, "So what's happening here?"

"Spike's gonna wake up soon. Good news huh?"

"Shit yeah. God, took his sweet ass time getting to that point though. As usual, centre of attention and all. I swear he does this on pur-"

"Reno, Get back to bed!" Rosie barked, interrupting the redhead's words.

"Yeah, ok, ok..." Reno rolled his eyes exaggeratedly.

"Don't you give me that. Commander Tseng will kill me if he finds out!"

"He's a pussy cat really..." Reno smirked, winking, as Zack held back a snort, Rosie clipping the back of Reno's head.

"You shouldn't speak about him like that! How rude!" Rosie scolded, grabbing Reno's ear and beginning to drag him back to his bed, Reno whining in protest, seemingly ignored by the nurse.

"Speaking of Rude, where on Earth did he disappear to?" Rosie seemed to ask no one in particular, Reno continuing to protest at his 'abuse'.

Zack waited until they were across the hall before he reached into his pocket and withdrew his phone.

Sephiroth had specifically ordered Zack not to contact him at all unless it was something of major importance. Zack presumed that the news he bore was significantly important enough to warrant a phone call, hurriedly dialling the General's number. It rang several times, before the most annoying voice Zack had ever dealt with rang down the line.

"The number you have dialled is currently switched off or unavailable..."

"What?!" Zack cried, redialling almost immediately.

_ring ring. ring ring. ring ring. click._

_"_Seph! Guess wh-"

"The number you have dialled is currently switched off or unavailable..."

"ARGH!!"

Zack threw the phone against the wall in frustration, scowling at the battery as it fell out of position. After a suitable amount of scowling, he reluctantly picked it up and reassembled it. It was unlike Sephiroth to be unreachable, regardless of the situation. Perhaps there was simply not enough reception in the mountains? It seemed like a reasonable explanation, so Zack left it at that, sulking as he resumed his spot in the chair by Cloud's bed.

--

"Hit it with a sword?"

"No."

"EMR shock?"

"Nope."

"Fire3?"

"No!"

"But... Fire3 would melt snow, yes?" Sephiroth offered, as Tseng continued to inspect the rotors of the helicopter.

"It's not just ice damage we're talking about here..." Tseng sighed, willing his frustration to subside. It was not Sephiroth's fault, and he was sincere in his attempts to help. It was just that once again, the true workmanship of his support crew was showing through.

"Rust?"

"No... Someone replaced the blades and haven't bought the correct material. If you try and melt the ice, the likelihood is that the blades will melt along with it..."

"Shinra surely would have bought parts that were fire resistant to begin with?"

"Those parts cost significantly more..."

"This is the result... of cost cutting...?" Sephiroth asked dangerously low. Tseng simply nodded, Sephiroth remaining silent for sometime.

"Is it fixable?" Sephiroth asked flatly, Tseng nodding. He reached into his suitcase that he had stashed within the helicopter, and pulled out the solidified mako tubes he'd packed as a precaution. Sephiroth eyed the tubes off, nodding his approval, even as Tseng was placing the tubing around the ice.

"How long will it take?"

"Several hours..." Tseng sighed softly, snapping the tubes to activate them. Whilst this new mako technology was effective in thawing ice it took a long time to do so, which was effectively time they could not afford to lose.

Sephiroth's phone buzzed shrilly, as he withdrew it from his pocket, the ringing stopping almost immediately.

"You'll be lucky to get reception here General..." Tseng explained, "And if you do, the signal will just keep dropping out."

Sephiroth said nothing however, continuing to stare blankly at his phone, emotions unreadable.

"Is there a problem General?" Tseng asked gently, Sephiroth slowly placing his phone back in his pocket.

"It was Lieutenant Fair trying to contact me," Sephiroth replied distantly, "Which means that something important has arisen."

"Perhaps he's just a little bored?"

"No. He knows when to call and when not to call."

"I would not worry too much, Zachary is very capable. Besides, if it was important enough, he would call back."

The phone began to ring, as if on cue, but once again, before Sephiroth was able to remove it from his coat, it had stopped, the no reception tone ringing clear through the crisp air. There was a flicker of an emotion that was seldom seen across Sephiroth's face, that of mild panic, before he returned to his usual calm and composed expression.

"...It can not be that terribly important..." He nodded slowly, seemingly reassuring himself more then anything.

--

_**"Zachary... Get up..."**_

_**"Nah... five more minutes..."**_

_**"You're going to miss training and I can guarantee the General and Genesis will not be altogether impressed..."**_

_**"Meh Genesis..."**_

_**"You need to treat Genesis as more of an authoritive figure and less of a friend..."**_

_**"Eh... he's pretty..." **_

_**Zack was clipped promptly over the back of his head, Angeal shaking him firmly to make sure he was fully awake and listening to what he had to say.**_

_**"I swear to myself Zack that you do not really think that..." Angeal said sternly, Zack raising an eyebrow in confusion.**_

_**"He's pretty hot Angeal, you gotta admit..."**_

_**"I know him better then to see him as the others do. Sephiroth will tell you the same..."**_

_**"What are you talking about?"**_

_**"Get ready for training, we don't have much time..." Angeal replied gruffly, before smiling slightly, "I may have to start smacking you with a rolled up newspaper if you're not careful."**_

_**"What? Like a puppy?"**_

_**"I guess you could see it like that..." Angeal mused, "Puppy, ey Zachary?"**_

_**"Zack... It's Zack..."**_

_**"Zack... Zack... Zack?"**_

"...Zack? General Fair?" Rosie prodded gently, shaking Zack's shoulder. Zack wearily opened his eyes, the brunette nurse standing over him, frowning slightly as he lifted his head.

"Mmm?" Zack replied with as much energy as he could muster.

"Perhaps you'd like to have a cot brought in? You haven't slept much lately, have you?"

"I guess not..."

"I really think you should be taking better care of yourself... We're fine looking after Cloud..."

"How long was I asleep for?" Zack asked wearily, brushing off the concerned expression of the nurse.

"About an hour and a half or so."

"Are the others back?"

"No. Cloud's been improving slowly however... Did you manage to reach Sephiroth?"

"No..." Zack frowned slightly, rubbing his sleep filled eyes as he fixated them on Cloud's still sleeping form. Cloud's eyes were now closed, a gentle smile settled across his lips. Zack smiled in return, a warm feeling enlightening his chest.

"But you know what Rosie?" Zack smiled, "It wouldn't surprise me if Cloud refuses to wake up until he's back..."

Rosie nodded slightly, smiling softly.

"I may not be the right one to say this, because I know Sephiroth and yourself are very close..." Rosie began, "But I'd like to think he and I are close also. The thing is... well..."

The nurse's face became somewhat remorseful and full of a sadness that Zack had trouble comprehending, as she gathered herself to say what she needed.

"I've never seen him love someone like he does with Cloud..." She almost whispered the statement, her hand coming to her heart as if acting on it's own accord.

A thought came to register, but Zack was reluctant to believe it.

"Rosie?" Zack began gently.

"Yes Zack?"

"You love Sephiroth don't you?"

The nurse stood, a gentle sigh escaping her lips, as she turned her gaze from Zack's.

"Of course. Very much so. Even as I heard him speak of the men he had encountered, I willed myself to believe that I was happy as long as he was..." Rosie paused, seemingly holding back tears, "I know it's so cliche, but looking at Cloud and knowing how much Sephiroth longs for him, cares for him, loves him, it still makes me happy. It makes me happy just knowing that he makes Sephiroth feel for him, how I feel for Sephiroth."

Zack slipped his arm around Rosie's shoulder, as she nodded her gratitude.

"But, I have other things to do I guess..." She smiled sweetly, seemingly sweeping her emotion away entirely, "I'll check in in a little while."

Zack nodded, squeezing her shoulder once more as she headed for the door, bowing her head as she closed it behind her.

_...And yet another member of General Sephiroth's Lonely Hearts Club..._

--

"You know what?"

"What?"

"I reckon they should be back by now..."

"Possibly..."

"Nah, pretty damn sure they should..."

"Maybe Tseng over-exaggerates his abilities in navigation?"

Reno scowled at Zack, the Lieutenant smirking widely.

"What?" Zack shrugged, "Legend has it that he's good at just about everything. But that's just legend, right? Maybe he got them lost."

"You clearly haven't got a clue at his ability, Fair..."

"Ooh, then please, inform me?" Zack smirked, winking, Reno rolling his eyes.

"I refuse to ever indulge your sick imagination..." Reno drawled, as he leant against Cloud's bed, a slight scowl over his face.

"Hey Red, I think you should probably go back to your room, yeah?" Zack frowned a little, Reno scratching at his tubing.

"Nah, I'm all good. These people are too fussy, ya know? Refuse to accept a healthy man when they see one..." Reno shrugged.

"Regardless of your physical health, I would never refer to you as 'healthy', Reno..." Rude smirked as he appeared in the doorway.Reno raised an eyebrow, his bald friend gesturing for him to return to bed. Reno shrugged slightly, shuffling towards the door as Rude pushed him towards his own room.

"Hey Fair?" Reno called from the hall.

"What?"

"Can't you just wake the bastard up or something?" Reno whined, Zack unable to answer before the redhead's voice was muffled, his door being locked closed by presumably Rude. Zack looked down at the still motionless blonde and pondered the thought briefly.

"No... We don't just randomly shake people, Zack..." he sighed to himself, giving the blonde's hand a gentle squeeze.

_...We're all waiting on you, Spikey..._

--

Sephiroth eyed off the Commander, who was now shivering under the thin blanket he had encased himself in.

_...Is it really that cold?..._

Sephiroth knew the mako that he was injected with had a built in temperature control, cooling in heat, and heating in cool. They had been in the snow capped region for several hours now, and normal body temperatures would have dropped significantly. Perhaps Tseng's injections did not hold the same properties? Sephiroth reached into his coat pockets and withdrew three mastered fire orbs.

"hold onto these, Commander," Sephiroth gestured the orbs towards Tseng, "They'll help to raise your body warmth."

The Turk took them gingerly, smiling slightly, "Thank you General..."

Sephiroth nodded, gazing out the window, where a stray wolf was lingering at the edge of the nearby woods, a sudden thought occuring.

"Are you alright on your own for a short time? he asked Tseng as he opened the door.

"Yes, just cold..." The Commander shrugged slightly, clutching his blanket tighter. Sephiroth nodded, hopping out before heading for the cover of the trees.

Tseng shivered, his fingers closing around the orbs tighter in an attempt at warmth. Yes, they generated heat, but it just wasn't enough. Sephiroth had disappeared over an hour ago, and although Tseng was curious as to his whereabouts, he was hardly concerned. He recalled watching from afar as Sephiroth fought his way through a pack of 40 or more Mako rabid wolves, coming from the battle with no more then a solitary claw mark on his chest and a tear in his cloak. From what Zack had told Tseng seemingly centuries ago, Sephiroth had done a similar thing in protecting Cloud from attack.The planet never seemed to bear threat to the almighty General. Tseng often joked with Sephiroth that the planet itself ran through his blood and tied him to it's core. Sephiroth always brushed off the remark, but Tseng always wondered how much of it was true. Tseng didn't have long to ponder the thought this time however, the General sliding the door open, a bear skin slung around his shoulders.

"...General?" Tseng queried, gaping slightly in stunned surprise.

"I went to fetch firewood, but was attacked in the process," Sephiroth explained, "And I presume it worked out for the best."

Sephiroth then threw the skin over Tseng, warmth enveloping him almost immediately. Tseng let out a small sigh in spite of himself, the experience reminding him of his childhood in Wutai. He'd spent many harsh winters wrapped in the confines of his grandfather's own bear skin, having stories read to him from the bookcase in the temple's resting room. Of course, it was neither as bloody nor as... fragrant... as this one, but it was much the same feeling.

"Does it help?" the General asked, taking his seat opposite Tseng once again, closing the door as he did so.

"Very much so, thank you Sephiroth..." Tseng smiled softly. He recalled tales of the supposedly heartless General and resisted the urge to laugh.

_...Clearly told by people who have never even met him... He has a plethora of emotion, just doesn't know how to use it..._

Sephiroth had often agreed to the belief that he was unable to ever show caring emotion or affection. Tseng had often argued otherwise. Even before the war, he'd worked as a temple guard, stories constantly arising of the Western world and the infamous Sephiroth, a cadet making his way to the top in style. There were the accompanying tales of the others aswell, Angeal Hewley and Genesis Rhapsodus, which Tseng had never believed existed until he joined Shinra. He could still remember to this day, his induction ceremony into Shinra, his first day, the three of them standing regally by the stage where Shinra was perched. He'd never been in total awe at something, that in other circumstances, would be a completely normal occurence.

It was not something to dwell on in the current situation however, Tseng willing himself back to reality. Tseng turned to the General and was surprised to see hurt on his face. Tseng studied Sephiroth's suddenly pained features, curiousity holding him fast.

"Sephiroth...?"

The General met his eyes and held them, but it was clear he was neither going to tell the Commander of his worry, or speak about anything in particular at all. Something had triggered the General, but Tseng knew he was not likely to ever find out what. He instead placed his hand on Sephiroth's back in an attempt at comfort. Sephiroth's face softened slightly, before he opened the door once more.

"I'll fetch something to eat. Should anything happen, use a Bahamut summon. I'll see it from wherever I am and come back as soon as possible. Understood?" Sephiroth asked firmly, inflicting authority in his voice.

"Yes General Sephiroth Sir..." Tseng nodded, the door closing as the General disappeared once more, leaving Tseng to ponder the strange behaviour.

--

Zack stretched languidly in his chair and yawned. He'd fallen asleep _again_.

"Jesus Christ Zack... It's not so hard to stay awake..." Zack muttered to himself.

"Maybe it's a sign of fatigue, brainiac..." came the sarcastic reply.

_...Reply?..._

Zack snapped his eyes to Cloud, who had a small smirk on his lips, eyebrow cocked in mockey. Zack gaped opening and closing his mouth wordlessly, before the blonde sighed slightly and shook his head.

"Silence is very unbecoming of you, Lieutenant..." Cloud said softly, wearily.

"Clouuuuuuud!" Zack squealed finally, before flinging his arms around the blonde and squeezing him into submission. Cloud let out a loud hiss, and Zack recoiled, panic in his eyes.

"...Cloud?"

"...Please be gentle..." The blonde gave a small gasp, Zack's stomach tightening in guilt.

"I'm so sorry Cloud..." Zack choked, the blonde scratching his head and smiling however, the Lieutenant ruffling his hair affectionately, beginning his rather emotional ramble.

"I justcan'tbelieveyouareawakeaftersolongbecausewewereallreallyworried!! WewaitedforagesandyouhadusallworriedYOUSELFISHJERK!!" Zack rushed, scowling momentarily before the blonde was subjected to a more loving and gentle embrace, "You scared the shit out of me..."

Zack rested his head atop the blonde's for a moment, laying a gentle kiss in his hair. Cloud had been the closest thing to family he had achieved at Shinra, alongside Sephiroth, and he had almost lost it in one foul act. Cloud clutched onto Zack's arm and patted his back.

"Are you alright?" The blonde asked softly, Zack drawing back in mock horror.

"Are you _freaking_ INSANE?!" Zack cried in another shriek, Cloud barely managing a small smile, "I'm meant to be asking _you_ that!"

There was then a pause, Cloud's eyes swirling vacantly, a distant thought seemingly overpowering his conscious. Zack brushed his thumb along Cloud's shoulder and couldn't help the sorrowed smile from creeping along his face.

"How _are_ you Cloud?" Zack asked, barely audible. Cloud opened his mouth slightly, breathed deeply, and prepared himself to speak. The door then burst open however, and both Zack's and Cloud's eyes widened.

Reno and Rude both stood with handguns raised, aimed at the pair. Upon viewing the situation however, they lowered them, Reno smacking Rude across the head.

"You're an embarrassment..." Reno rolled his eyes, Rude gaping.

"What the hell was _that _for?"

"I _told_ you I know a so called 'Zack attack' when I hear one..." Reno sighed exasperatedly, turning to Cloud and Zack, "Apologies, yo..."

"We were thinking..." Rude began, before Reno glowered, "Well _I_ thought you were being attacked..."

"I _was_..." Cloud teased, Zack shaking his head.

"Nice to see you awake then, Blondie..." Reno said, casually smirking as he adjusted his bedgown and attempted to attach his handgun to his drip holder.

"Same to you Ren..." Cloud smiled weakly, Reno rolling his eyes.

"_I_ Have been awake a heck of a lot longer then you have, Cloud. _We've_ all been waiting for _your_ sorry ass to wake up..." Reno drawled teasingly. Cloud frowned however, gazing out the window.

"Not all of you..." He said in the tiniest of whispers. Zack was sure to be the only one who heard that, and he inwardly kicked himself at causing Reno and Rude's intrusion. He hadn't had the chance to explain the absence of the one Cloud would have wanted most to see.

"You alright, Cloudy?" Reno asked cautiously. The blonde turned to face the group once more, a newly faked smile plastered on his face.

"Yeah. Same old, really. Kinda hungry though..." Cloud shrugged, Reno nodding, apparently oblivious to the fake cheer.

"Yeah. It's only gonna get worse. The food here is barely edible..." reno screwed up his face in disgust, "But if you gotta eat, you gotta eat..."

Reno then looked at Zack, so much like Tseng would, and his eyes flashed, telling him all he needed to know.

'Well... Get to it...'

Zack should have known better. Reno was a Turk, and Turks _knew_ emotions. Reno stretched, yawning widely as he scratched the ack of his head idly.

"Speaking of food, let's go hassle Rosie for a meal, yo..." Reno smirked at Rude, "I bet I could charm her into handing over a chocolate bar..."

"She _knows_ about Tseng..." Rude sighed, Reno guiding him out the door.

"So?" Reno retorted, "Doesn't change my charm factor..."

They closed the door behind them, their bickering continuing.

"Those two are hopeless..." Cloud forcefully laughed lightly, "They make a really good team though so I guess it doesn-"

"They're hunting Hojo..." Zack said bluntly. Cloud turned back to the window.

"Nu-uh..." Zack said firmly, "You're not blocking me out Cloud..."

"I don't wanna talk about it."

"Then you'll just have to listen, won't you?"

"I don't want to hear it either..."

"I don't really care what you do or don't want Cloud... Something major happened to you. Something sick, something wrong, something heartbreaking for me to even think of..." Zack said gently, "At the moment, I'm talking about your _needs_..."

"I don't _need_ to talk about it..." Cloud snapped.

If not with me... We'll wait for him..." Zack shrugged, "And you can talk to him."

"I don't need _him_ either..." Cloud said defiantly, dragging a bitter laugh from Zack's throat.

"You're an idiot if you believe that one Cloud..."

"I..." Cloud began to retort, before resigning and returning to his gaze out the window.

Zack shouldn't be doing this, but Cloud neede it. Once again, it came to need. Cloud had just been welcomed back, he didn't want to hear this, but he needed it out of the way. He had changed already, and Zack didn't want him slipping further. He knew within him that even seeing Cloud how he was now would damn near kill Sephiroth.

"He and you clearly have plenty to discuss..." zack said quietly. Cloud turned his now burning green eyes to Zack, and the Lieutenant froze. The increased mako in his body had made Cloud's eyes swarm over-productively, even the whites of his eyes invaded by a mako cloud.

"There _is_ no he and I! He didn't care! He left me there for hours, begging for him, shedding _tears_ for him... while Hojo... while Hojo..." Cloud choked, visibly paling. Zack was caught between the thought of holding the trembling blonde in his arms, and shaking him senseless. How dare he hold Sephiroth responsible? After all they'd been through to _save _Cloud. Cloud would be gone if it weren't for Sephiroth.

"You'd be dead if it were'nt for him..." Zack said dangerously low.

"I was already dead _because_ of Sephiroth!" Cloud spat.

Zack's eyes widened in spite of himself.

_...That was a truly horrible lie to say, Cloud..._

He watched the blonde slowly make the same realization. Cloud opened his mouth to speak, but Zack shook his head, standing abruptly and narrowing his eyes viciously. They burnt full of mako, and Zack was glad for once that Cloud could see a physical manifestation of Zack's emotion.

"Ha..." Zack scoffed coldly, "I was wrong... See, I don't think you really _do_ deserve him after all..."

With that he grabbed his pack and left the room, not looking back once, not slowing down, and not stopping until he reached the inner confines of his office. He then fell back against his door, sliding to the ground beneath him, and held his head in his shaking hands.

"Odin, Cloud... What did he do to you?" Zack said softly, croaking on the tears that threatened to consume.

--

Sephiroth climbed the stairs of the hospital, weariness setting in after finally managing to make the way back to Midgar. Tseng had finally managed to start the rotors by the time he had returned from his meal hunting bare handed. He'd had the constant thought of Cloud plaguing his mind, and was unable to strike any cornered animal he found with his sword.

He stopped moving as he reached Cloud's hallway, spotting Zack perched on the chair outside Cloud's door. His shoulders were slumped, and he was staring blankly at the floor. Sephiroth froze, panic arising, as he forced his legs to move towards the Lieutenant. Zack looked up distantly, his eyes focusing, as he smiled softly at the approaching figure.

"Seph..." He said gently, as Sephiroth approached, fearing the absolute worst.

"Zack... what's wrong?"

"It's Cloud..." Zack said shakily, his eyes seeming to be holding back tears. Sephiroth waited for Zack to continue, the Lieutenant shaking his head slightly.

"He's awake..." Zack explained, tension flooding from the General's body, "He's just... I dunno if you should talk to him..." Zack explained.

"Of course..." Sephiroth replied, reaching for the door handle. Zack snatched his hand, eyes continuing to plead with the General's own.

"Seph... please... he's not himself... We had an argument and I left..." Zack paused, his face filled with pain, "But I came back in and... he's just not himself..."

_...Hojo... _

Sephiroth's conscious hissed the singular word, his heart weighing down heavily with guilt. Sephiroth considered Zack's warning, considered not seeing the blonde, considered leaving. But he stayed, and he reached for the handle again.

"He might say hurtful things..." Zack pleaded once more.

"I need to see him..." Sephiroth replied, his eyes battling Zack's own in a competition of will power, until Zack's hand fell from his wrist.

"Just remember it's not _really_ Cloud in there... ok?" Zack sighed in resignation. Sephiroth felt mildly confused.

_...Surely Cloud could not be so... changed...?_

Sephiroth nodded his acceptance of terms however, and turned the door handle before stepping inside.

--

Eight days ago. Eight long, torturous days since he'd awoken from his sleep. He begged for the mercy of the lifestream to engulf him again, he ached for the peaceful rest he had achieved then. Free from the agonizing night terrors and heart stopping visions of the maniacal grin and the pristine white lab coat which he doubted would ever leave the existence of his mind. He woke, drenched in sweat and tears, his scars burning, and his body crying out for death, before a wet flannelette would be placed to his forehead, and nimble fingers would wipe away his tears. Soft, sensual lips would brush his cheeks, and a low reassuring murmur would whisper in his ear.

_...How could I have ever said that I don't need him..._

The truth had been that he had never needed someone as much as he did with _him_. His saviour, his guardian, his knight in shining armor, his angel. He had been forced to stay within the General's quarters by Zack, as well as Tseng and the Turks, who kept a constant guard by the door. Sephiroth gave opportunity to the blonde to rest, leaving him for much of the day, but appearing throughout, simply to check on him or comfort him like he was now. Like he needed. Zack had been right, as he usually was, in the belief that need would overpower want. Somewhere along the lines, the two had become one. He needed Sephiroth's caring caresses, his gentle reassurances, his calming voice. He wanted the arms that held him against the defined chest, the fingers that wound into his hair, and the heartbeat that rest against his ear. He'd been a fool to ever doubt the intentions of the man beside him, as tears continued to fall from his swollen eyes.

"Hojo... He... he..." Cloud gasped between muffled sobs, Sephiroth almost cradling the blonde in his arms.

"...He'll never harm you again Cloud..."

"I laid there... and he..."

"Shhhh..."

The General had heard it many times. He had sat there by Cloud's hospital bed as the words spilled from the blonde's lips, eyes flaming as he tried despearately to focus on Cloud's own pools of pain. Cloud knew, he _knew_ how hard Sephiroth had been hit when Cloud had peeled back his covers and explained each and every scar, each and every experience. He had watched the General come as close to breaking point as he ever had, and most of all, he saw how every pore of Sephiroth's skin filled with rage fuelled mako and self blame and guilt. Cloud had fallen quickly into the realization that he had been wrong. He had lied to Zack. He had known all along that Sephiroth would come for him. He knew, otherwise he would not have called. He would not have shed tears at his name. He would not have laid still and willed speed to the General he knew would save him once again.

"You came..." Cloud let out a long breath, his tears beginning to subside.

"I did..."

Cloud nuzzled against the protective barrier of the General's chest, as Sephiroth placed soft kisses on the golden spikes, Cloud willing away the last of his shuddering sobs. Sleep would fall again soon, Cloud knew, but he held on to the enveloping arms and savoured the moment he knew would arise again the next time he woke to find the General by his side.

"...Cloud, are you hungry?"

"...No... I'm tired..."

"You haven't eaten for several days..."

"I'm so... tired..."

Tender, so incredibly gentle, the lips brushed his cheeks again, the blonde feeling himself lowered once again onto the bed, covers draped over his chest and body.

"Then perhaps you should sleep..." Sephiroth said gently, the blonde struggling to keep his eyes opened.

"...Sephiroth...?" Cloud whispered, the General halting as he moved for the door.

"Yes Cloud?"

"Thank you..."

A violent dream, the pain vivid, the voices strong, the danger so real. Tears streamed, a single repeated word on his lips.

"Sephiroth..."

_Hojo unfastened the restraint on Cloud's head and turned it to face his arm, before re-fastening the hold. _

_"I'd like you to watch this Cloud..." Hojo bubbled, Cloud's vision blurring as his eyes struggled to adjust to the darker lighting._

The agonizing pain, the blade slicing so neatly, so finely; Through skin, and muscle, and sinew, the blood pooling and falling in an apparent stream. The agonizing pain.

"Sephiroth!"

A cry again, as eyes flew open, reassuring emerald green meeting his, as silver strands of hair glowed in the moonlight descending from the skylight. Cloud sat motionless, his eyes welling once again, this time with reassurance. He was there. Sephiroth was there again, and he had left the realm of hurt.

"Shhh..." Sephiroth whispered, wiping slender fingers gently under the blonde's eyelids and catching tears as they fell.

"They won't stop... They'll never stop..."

"They will."

"How can you... how can you be so sure?"

There was a pause of silence, pain flooding the General's eyes like some kind of disease.

"...They will stop... You have my word..." Sephiroth said softly, pulling the blonde into his arms once more.

"...Sephiroth..."

"...Cloud?"

"I'm really... I just... Thank you..."

"No Cloud... No more..." Sephiroth replied slowly, his voice dripping with pain.

"...My hero..."

"No..."

"...My saviour..."

"No... Cloud..."

"...My life..."

There was a silent, before a sigle solitary kiss upon his forehead, Sephiroth shaking his head slightly.

"...Our life..."

He may very well have died in those arms at the whispered words.

--

"Cloud..." Sephiroth said gently, the blonde tossing once again in his sleep, although no tears fell, and no cries were heard.

"Sephiroth..."

The murmured reply, stirring in the blonde's slumbers.

"Cloud..." Sephiroth repeated, the blonde's eyes slowly fluttering open, as the deep blue shone from beneath sleep filled lids. The blonde stratched lazily, before slowly sitting.

"...Sephiroth?"

The General said nothing, smiling slightly in spite of himself. Cloud had slept a full night. He was gradually returning to a normal state of living.

"How did you sleep...?" Sephiroth said quietly, Cloud stopping in his stretch. The thought must have hit him, and he produced a small smile, something Sephiroth had longed to witness since Cloud had waved from the helicopter window that day.

"I slept..." Cloud smiled slightly wider, "I slept very well... Thank you..."

The pair regarded eachother for some time, Cloud moving over to rest his head against Sephiroth's chest, the General placing cautious arms around the blonde's shoulders. He knew what Cloud meant to him, he knew how people showed these feelings, he just still found difficulty in dealing with such raw emotion he had held so tightly inside him.

"I'm pleased to hear that, Cloud..." Sephiroth said finally, feeling the blonde's lips smile wider against his chest.

_...Perhaps he was going to be fine after all..._

_--_

Tseng watched Reno intently. The redhead eyed him off curiously.

"What's up?" He asked, swinging his legs off his desk and cocking an eyebrow at his boss.

"Are you feeling alright?" Tseng asked, Reno raising his eyebrow further.

"I'm fine... Are you feeling alright?"

"I'm... fine..."

"You've been acting a little strangely the past few days... Has something happened?"

"No..." Tseng replied slowly, the redhead watching the Commander with concern, "But Reno?"

"Yes Sir?"

"You'll tell me if you're not feeling well, won't you?"

Reno let out a small sigh, standing up and standing before the Commander, reaching his hands out to him, threading a hand around his waist and sliding one into his hair. He pulled Tseng's head back gently, and trailed kisses down the Commander's neck.

"R...Reno...?" Tseng moaned slightly, confusion forcing its way through lust at the redhead's actions. Reno raised his lips to the Commander's and placed a gentle kiss upon them.

"You worry too much, yo..." Reno shrugged, "I figured you needed a little stress relief."

Reno smirked slightly, resuming his position at his desk, Tseng still watching him intently.

"You ok boss?"

"I'm still a little stressed..." Tseng smirked, Reno grinning cheekily, as he rose again from his desk and sauntered to the Commander's side.

If he was really sick, he wasn't showing it in the slightest.

--

Sephiroth opened the door slowly, fearful of waking Cloud if he had indeed fallen asleep. The blonde was staring at the General lazily as he walked lightly into the room.

"I hope I didn't wake you..." Sephiroth said softly, the blonde shaking his head, eyes becoming slowly alert.

"No... I figured you would be home soon..."

"You shouldn't wait for me Cloud, you need your rest..."

"I'm not feeling that tired actually..." Cloud smiled slightly.

Sephiroth moved over to the bedside, and knelt beside the blonde, Cloud closing his eyes as Sephiroth reached out and ran a hand through his hair.

"Are you feeling any better?" He asked quietly, something about the blonde's cat like curl bringing a smile to his mouth.

"Yes..." Cloud said quietly, eyes raising open, "...Are you?"

The question had been simple, but it had caused a train of thought to be triggered in the General's mind.

"Am I feeling any better?" He repeated, Cloud sitting up slightly and nodding.

"You look tired..." Cloud frowned slightly, Sephiroth nodding in return. He had barely slept, racked with guilt, worry for the blonde, and the consistently arising memories of his own tainted past. He had been more then determined to prove to Cloud his worth, and prove to Zack his honesty.

"I should sleep, yes. I'll ask Zack if he wouldn't mind lett-"

"Stay here..." Cloud said softly, "It's your own bed after all."

"You need your rest, Cloud..."

"Stay... please..."

Sephiroth stood, considering the pleading look within the blue eyes, as the blonde moved over under the covers, leaving space for Sephiroth to lie. It wasn't a request anymore, it was more so of a demand. He let out a sigh, and felt Cloud's eyes on him as he unbuckled his coat. He let it fall to the floor, the blonde still watching intently. Sephiroth smirked slightly. Cloud was watching him with eyes slightly greened, eyes scanning up and down as he removed each article of clothing. The General was used to such lingering gazes from a variety of SOLDIERs, executives and maintenance staff of Shinra, and he was well aware of the intentions the gazes held. Somehow, it had always been different with Cloud however. Such lingering glances gave his body no choice but to respond, with his temperature rising of it's own accord and his heart beating irregularly. Perhaps it was the fact that in his mind, the thought of the blonde beauty reciprocating his own desires drove him to the edge of insanity. He slipped under the covers and turned to face Cloud, who was smiling contently. The blonde slid over to lay his head against the General's chest, seemingly his new favourite affectionate gesture, and Sephiroth slipped his hand over Cloud's waist, the blonde letting out a small hiss.

"Cloud...?" Sephiroth asked, panic arising at the thought he may have hurt the blonde, "Are you alright?"

Cloud nodded, smiling sheepishly, "Cold hands..."

--

Cloud lay, sleep far from his mind as he settled eyes on the figure beside him. He recalled the first time he lay eyes on the sleeping form of Sephiroth, feet perched on his desk as the faintest hint of a smile licked at his lips. With that came the inevitable thoughts of what occured that night.

_..."Cloud... You're beautiful..."..._

_Hot kisses... low moans... skin on skin..._

Cloud leant over, brushed his fingers lightly across silver hair, and placed a kiss upon the General's lips. Emerald green eyes snapped open at the touch, no signs of his previous sleep state showing. Cloud jumped slightly, the General once again startling him at his ability to wake so easily.

"...Cloud?" Sephiroth said lowly, a small frown of concern. Cloud paused, Sephiroth placing a comforting hand on the blonde's waist. Cloud leaned forward, slowly, deliberately, and placed yet another kiss on the General's lips. This time, the pressure was returned, before Cloud pulled back again, cheeks beginning to burn. The realization of just who he had kissed still sent a childlike timidness through him. He had always felt less then worthy when in Sephiroth's presence. Strangely enough, it was Sephiroth who was the one who usually changed this perception.

"Ahh..." Sephiroth smirked suddenly, before frowning just as quickly, "...Are you alright?"

Cloud was a little taken aback at the question.

"Yes... I feel fine..." Cloud replied slowly, "Why do you... aaaah..."

He didn't get to finish the question, Sephiroth cutting him off by covering his throat's pulse with his mouth, biting down gently. Cloud instantly clutched at the silver mane, and felt Sephiroth's lips curl into a smirk against his skin.

"Such a tease..." Cloud gasped slightly, Sephiroth's kisses raining down on his neck and chest.

"...I believe... _you_... woke _me_ up..." Sephiroth murmured in between kisses, Cloud's need increasing with every gentle touch of lips against his skin.

Cloud looked up at Sephiroth with lust filled eyes, as the General pulled back and surveyed the blonde. He looked nothing short of alluring, his eyes beginning to burn slightly green, a mixture of lust and his increased heartbeat pumping his added mako into his bloodstream. Sephiroth held himself above Cloud, hovering over the still bruised body, eyes scanning along the scar lines, body aching with guilt. He leant down, trailing kisses along every ridge, every battered piece of flesh, every imperfection, lacing each one with his affection and acceptance. He stopped though, a shudder racking the blonde, as a single sob escaped. He raised his body to meet eyes with the blonde, who's tears were pooling in his eyes.

"...How can you... How can you even _look_... at me...?" Cloud choked, biting back on his tears. Sephiroth shook his head slightly, brushing the tears from the blonde's eyes as Cloud nuzzled in the General's touch.

"How can I not?" Sephiroth murmured, Cloud pulling him down to ravish his mouth with his own in a kiss of pure emotion and love, sending a charge through Sephiroth's body. Tonight would be about Cloud, whether he ended up able to divulge his desires or leave them unquenched. He ran fingernails down the blonde's chest, as he descended along his body, Cloud's back arching off the sheets slightly, his head falling back. Every contour, every muscle, every shivering inch of skin was caressed with his lips. Every gasp, every shudder, every moan encouraging the General to no end. Sephiroth reached his intended goal, his kisses falling on Cloud's already erect organ, and drawing a gasp from the blonde, as he placed his mouth atop the head. Cloud's eyes fluttered closed as he groaned the General's name, only fuelling Sephiroth's intentions. Sephiroth watched with growing intensity as Cloud's face shifted through constantly changing expressions, gasps, moans, and groans escaping as Sephiroth altered his pressure and use of his tongue to draw out the blonde's pleasure for as long as he could.

"T...Teaser!" Cloud snapped, Sephiroth laughing slightly, the vibrations causing Cloud to cry out.

_...I see..._

Sephiroth mused on the reaction, before taking Cloud's length fully into his mouth and humming. It only took a few sounds from the General, before Cloud cried out, knuckles paled as he clutched the bedsheets hard and sought release in Sephiroth's mouth. Sephiroth swallowed what he could, smiling in achievement as he reached up to kiss the blonde, sharing the taste between the two. Cloud gasped for air when they broke apart, his hair toussled even more so, his chest rising and falling heavily, and an attractive blush stained across his cheeks, as Sephiroth returned to his ministrations of Cloud's neck.

"Se... Sephiroth...?" Cloud gasped, Sephiroth pausing to show he was listening. Cloud pulled him back to lock eyes with him and smiled deviously.

"My turn..."

--

**A/N: **Heheh. Would you believe half of the ideas for this chapter came from ONE afternoon of my life? In Australia, we do get the whole _"The number you have dialled is currently switched off or unavailable" _message all the time. It continuously happened every time I tried to call my dad. Turned out the reception was REALLY crappy. The lesson for today? Use landline telcommunications. I mean it children, vital lessons learnt.

Zack's hysterical ramblings? (Sorry for them by the way hehe)

My sister has a major problem with her excitability and the tendency to become incomprehensible at times.

Getting lost in the snow for hours?

...K, I made that up. I've never been to the snowwww... -sob-

Aaaaand... General Sephiroth's Lonely Hearts Club? LAME! I know it. lol. Gave me a giggle at the time though. XD

That too also came from a conversation between a friend and I. As well as the other nick names he gives me for my fangirlishness, he claims I belong to such a club. I think many others do too. He _**needs**_ to be real -sniff-

By the way, dunno what happened. I went _italic underlined_ crazy. lol.

As for the last what... ten paragraphs? All done after one am, so please excuse any insane inconsistencies or overall crappy writing. lol.

I will fix them if you point them out! lol.

ALSO, stupid formatting deleted my underscore last chapter. too lazy to fix it. So my livejournal account is candichan UNDERSCORE spop. Sorry for confusion, especiallu with poor lil scarlettHuntress. She DID find me though. lol.


	11. Nibelheim

Yayyyy.

God, One chapter a week challenge is a royal pain in the proverbial behind. So here we are again!

It's exhausting, but I'm getting there. Not much to say this chapter. Behehe.

Same warnings as always, because you know, if you have made it this far, you know the general idea of the story.

There's two things that can happen here. I have plenty of ideas to really keep this story going for awhile, or I can also effectively wrap it up within what... Five, maybe Six chapters?

Let me know what you want!! XD

BIG THANKS TO M1y4k1 for being... Review 100!! lol. Big achievement for me, and wow, what a totally kick ass, short and sweet review. God I love it. lol.

Thanks for getting me this far guys. hehe.

--

Cloud woke up slowly, an eery feeling settling over him as he struggled to find his bearings. His eyes were finally opened, and the realisation set in. Sephiroth had disappeared. He clutched at the pillow which the General should have been resting his head upon, and pulled it over his head. He let out a soft sigh. The night before had been... incredible, to say the least... but there was such an empty feeling assosciated with the fact that no matter how much time the pair spent together, Sephiroth would always leave before the night had ended. Sephiroth had even fallen asleep before Cloud the night before, Cloud having waited until the General did so before he closed his eyes. Once again, the General had managed to slip soundlessly from Cloud's reach and presumably into the SOLDIER compound, all without Cloud even stirring from his slumber. Sephiroth was a contradiction of himself on so many occassions that it was beginning to wear down on the blonde. He was affectionate and caring for him in the confines of this room, but Cloud doubted that would extend publicly. That, he could at least understand. The disappearances of Sephiroth, after pledging his loyalties and the inability to want to stay a night, Cloud could not grasp so easily. He stretched out slowly, cracking his neck as he did so, and pulled the covers back over him. He cried out as he rolled over, fire spreading through his body as his still bruised chest connected with a hard object. He pulled out the offending box and smiled slightly.

_...A gift...?_

It was a small black case, no decorations or anything that may suggest it's contents. Cloud pulled off the cover with slight agitation, spying the small white card in it with his name scrawled on the front. He pulled back the card and stared with curiousity at the small green orb inside. He picked up the materia and held it within his fingers, the gentle tingling sensation the orb produced, bringing a small smile to the blonde's face.

_...Curative..._

He turned back to the card and opened it slowly, recognising Sephiroth's neat cursive script as he did so.

_"Cloud, I apologise for leaving without prior telling you. Shinra is asking for a pre-inspective tour of the Nibelheim area before we leave next month. A 'trial run', you might say. I was somewhat perturbed by the thought of leaving you in your current condition, but I assure you that there was no other option available. Lieutenant Fair remains in the compound, and shall ensure your comfort and safety for as long as I am unable to. I shall expect he will arrive by noon. Reno has been assigned to be your door watchman, as Tseng shall be accompanying me in my absence and you two seem to get along well. This is a mastered Restore materia. It is unique, however, in that it does not produce mako to cure, but focuses energy on the mako energy you already possess. Take care Cloud, I will return home as fast as I am able to. _

_P.s Be a little weary of Zack. I am aware there is still some tension, and I hope you may work it through. Sephiroth."_

Cloud let out another soft sigh, before holding the orb in his hands and studying it.

_...Where did he even get something like this?..._

Cloud was tempted to cast the spell, simply to see how it worked, but his training with the General had taught him well enough to cherish his MP. Unsure of how long the General would be away, or even how long until Zack showed up, Cloud lay back flat on the bed and faced the ceiling. Unwillingly, the blonde fell into a train of thought and memory.

--

"You may very well get into a lot of trouble for giving him that..." Tseng frowned slightly scoldingly. Sephiroth turned to face him, and raised an eyebrow.

"I am aware of this, Commander..."

"Then why did you do it? He will heal on his own."

"A question that requires no answer, how typical of a turk."

Tseng scowled slightly, before reaching into his coat pocket as his cell phone rang. Sephiroth watched him with curiousity, as he flipped it open and answered swiftly.

"Yes?"

The response came quickly from the other end, and Tseng's scowl deepened, though his eyes betrayed his true emotion. They'd filled with life almost immediately, and a smile was visible within their confines.

"What do you _want, _comrade?"

Sephiroth focused a little further on the conversation and heard Reno's distinct voice whining down the phone.

_...Ah... The pet..._

"You left without leaving _anything_. I mean, _Sephiroth _had to tell me what was going on!" Reno continued to whine, Tseng placing his fingers against his temple.

"I apologise, but I had very little notice... What did you _want_ Reno?"

"I think there's something wrong with the fruit in your office..."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, the apples are purple..."

Tseng let out a sigh and clasped his head slightly tighter.

"They're _meant _ to be purple..."

"Oh... so... can I eat them?"

"They're specially imported from Wutai, Reno. It would take me at least another month before... you've eaten some already haven't you?"

There was a silence between the pair for a few moments, Tseng seemingly reaching his peak, and Reno plotting his next answer.

"...I have some more at home..." Tseng sighed in resignation.

"Awesome! So if I went-"

"You're not going in my apartment without me there..."

"But I've never seen the insideee!" Reno whined, and Tseng flicked eyes to Sephiroth, who merely smirked. Everyone is Shinra knew of Reno's reputation as the company's nuisance, and now the responsibility of that title had fallen into Tseng's hands, of all people. Tseng himself had the reputation of being one of Shinra's most respected employees, with a dedication far surpassing even Sephiroth's. From most people's perspective, the two would seem a complete mismatch, but Sephiroth knew differently.

"Do not go in there Reno. You're to stay at Cloud's door, remember? You can have some more when I get home..." Tseng said authoratively. Silence again, before Reno coughed slightly.

"...When is that... by the way?"

"Either tomorrow or the day after, if all goes well. No longer then a week. It will be ok, Rude knows what needs to be done."

"Oh... yeah..." There was a pause, before Reno's voice quietened, "...Be careful, ya know?"

Tseng's trademark soft smile crept across his face, and he nodded, seemingly to himself.

"I won't be long..."

"...You will too..."

"Stop sulking, you'll embarrass yourself in front of the General..." Tseng smirked, matching eyes again with Sephiroth, who raised an eyebrow slightly, Reno letting out a curse.

"Forgot he was there... Anyway, try not to get your sorry ass killed."

"I will, Reno, you worry too much."

"...I... you know, care..." Reno cleared his throat, "I'm gonna go find Rude. Later, yo."

"Be_have_, Reno..." Tseng sighed, and the redhead snorted.

"I actually like the whole badboy reputation I've got going on, yo..." Reno replied, a smirk ringing clear through his voice.

"You're not the only one..." Tseng murmured, before realising Sephiroth was still in the area and blushing furiously as he hung up the phone, mumbling a hurried goodbye to the redhead.

Sephiroth sat and silently smirked as Tseng cleared his throat, pulling several documents from his breifcase and flicking through them. Sephiroth extended a hand, knowing full well that Tseng always packed at least four copies of every document, ever prepared where ever he went.

"You don't have your own?" Tseng asked, not looking up as he placed a pile of papers in the General's hands.

"Naturally I do. This is, however, more convenient..."

"Lazy..." Tseng tutted, before highlighting several sections of the town map. They'd spent at least three hours on a cruise ship crossing the corel seas, which Sephiroth had not been too fond of, the support crew for the vessel surrounding him as he attempted to speak to the captain.

_"General Sephiroth, may I have a picture?"_

_"General Sephiroth, could you sign this out for me? Make it out to Johnny?"_

_"...So uh, General... There's a rumour that you've miraculously remained single..."_

_"General! I'm your biggest fan! What was it like it Wutai?!"_

Now however, they were in a jostling truck on it's way to Nibelheim, Mark once again behind the wheel.

"You play favourites, Commander..." Sephiroth smirked, Tseng finally lifting his head from the town's profile.

"Hmmm?" He replied, lazily stretching as he did so.

"You play favourites... I don't recall ever being in a vehicle with you where Comrade Mark was _not _the driver..." Sephiroth explained, Tseng retaliating with a skeptical look and dismissing the comment with a wave of his hand.

"Mark is a wonderfully capable driver, and his weaponry skills exceed most of your Second Class boys with relative ease..." Tseng said airily, eyes returning to the maps before him, "Besides, he's made this trip on several occassions, and knows the reactor blueprints like the back of his hand. He's certainly more then useful."

Sephiroth could not argue with the logic, choosing to nod instead, further impressed with their driver.

"Oh, and Sephiroth?"

"Yes Commander?"

"You and I both know we play favourites..." Tseng smirked, still not looking up.

"Oh?"

"I favour the logical, self-assured and entertaining..." Tseng shrugged, "You favour the caring, humourous and... spikey headed..."

Sephiroth made a point to roll his eyes exaggerratedly, Tseng snorting.

"Don't think I missed that either..." he sighed, before pulling a calculator from his briefcase and punching in numbers.

"How did you-"

"If you spend enough time with Reno..." Tseng interrupted, "You develop somewhat of a radar for eye rolling..."

Tseng smiled softly, as the General smirked, the truck finally slowing to a stop. He had no doubt about so called radars, he had several in relation to Cloud, who was becoming fond of pouting, as well as other things. He need not see when the blonde was pouting or pulling faces, he sent off an aura of mischief as he did so, enough to drive Sephiroth crazy.

_...In several different ways..._

Tseng began packing his things into his case as he pulled on his gloves.

"We should only be here the night. Collection of information is our main obhective, remember?" Tseng queried, Sephiroth replying with a nod.

"And what about accomodation?" Sephiroth asked, skimmimg over the highlighted town map as Tseng handed it to him.

"That highlighted purple inn... There is the mansion for shinra executives in the red, but it's on the brink of being condemned, and Shinra has left it in the forbidden access area..."

"A mansion...?" Sephiroth asked, a distant memory lingering just beyond his grasp.

"Yes. But the inn owner heard you would be arriving and strongly suggested we take her offer of free accomodation..." Tseng smirked, "And she just seemed so eager to please..."

Sephiroth sighed softly in resignation, Tseng snorting expectantly. Sephiroth had grown accustomed to the so called 'freebies' that were offered to him, but unlike Zack who took the opportunity to bask in them whilst in Sephiroth's company, the General was unable to appreciate them so freely. What usually accomodated these 'freebies' was a crowd of adoring fans who effectively knew nothing about him and still had the belief that he was worthy of worship. He must have been frowning noticeably, Sephiroth raising a skeptical eyebrow and shaking his head.

"I apologise General, I know you're not fond of the attention..." Tseng muttered, "But you are more then worthy of it."

"Am I really?" Sephiroth sighed, Tseng nodding.

"Whether you believe that or not, you still continue to indulge them in a manner only you ever could. You could live up to reputations and simply state that you do not wish to talk to any of them, and yet you patiently stand by, signing autographs and reluctantly standing in photographs whilst girls and boys squeal at your sides..."

"I must."

"No, you are under no obligation. But your true nature shows through often, and even though it may frustrate you, you continue to do the honourable thing, making you more then worthy of their praise, and starting the cycle once more."

Sephiroth had never thought of it like that, and nodded, Tseng slipping off the back end of the truck, waiting for the General to follow.

--

"Hey Strife..." Reno called from the door, Cloud still dressing himself, "They'll be okay, yeah?"

"I guess so... It's not a dangerous mission or anything, right?"

"Nah, I guess not..."

"Besides, it's the General and the Commander... Not like they're ill equipped or anything..."

"Yeah, you're right. I dunno, something about that place..."

"...Nibelheim?"

"Yeah..." Reno's voice seemed to distance itself from his body, "I've been there before, and into the mountain regions... You need not go far to get the sensations that something terrible fell upon that town... And then there's the other feeling..."

"What feeling?" Cloud said, undescribably feeling himself holding his breath. But why? Nibelheim was his home town, nothing about it should be intimidating or filled with dread. Why this sinking feeling?

"The worst is yet to come, you know?" Reno said, eerily mirroring Cloud's exact thoughts.

"...Don't be ridiculous. There isn't a town out there that's as dull and boring as Nibelheim..." Cloud replied, opening the door to find the redhead staring vacantly at the blonde, "Reno?"

The single word snapped Reno from his thoughts and he grinned.

"Yeah, you're so right. Bored as fuck when I was there. They don't do _anything_..." Reno snorted, "And you can't take a piss without the whole town finding out..."

Cloud knew the feeling. Everything in Nibelheim was everyone's business. He could imagine the news of Sephiroth arriving, and the whole town knowing within an hour, all gathering to greet the warrior so many of them respected and idolised.

_...And mum... looking at him like she always knew him to be..._

_**"Cloud, why..?" **_

_**"Don't be like that mum... I'll still write..."**_

_**"But off to join SOLDIER?"**_

_**"I want to... be like Sephiroth..."**_

_**"General Sephiroth?" She repeated, Cloud nodding. Cloud's mother sighed softly, nodding sadly.**_

_**"You idolise him, yes?"**_

_**"Yes."**_

_**"He is an honourable and decent man. He has a deep soul, I can see. He is just lonely. He's special, and he just needs guidance..." She said gently, gazing at her son softly. **_

_**"Mum?"**_

_**"Yes Cloud?"**_

_**"Are you ok?"**_

_**"Of course..." She continued to smile that soft, sorrowed smile, as she embraced her son warmly, brushing the blonde from his eyes. **_

Cloud had never thought it through hard enough to determine that soft gaze accompanying such a seemingly strange conversation. Cloud was almost certain now that she was referring not only to Sephiroth, but to himself. She saw in Sephiroth what she saw in the outcasted and awkward youth that she devoted her life in raising and loving. Cloud smiled gently to himself at the thought of his mother meeting Sephiroth, no idea of his connection to her son. Yet, she would know just by talking to him, whether he had met Cloud, and she already knew of the idolisation Cloud held for him.

"...Blondie?"

"Hmmm?" Cloud replied hazily, Reno smirking.

"You keep zoning out... Ooh, something totally happened last night..." Reno winked, "I always have been a little curious about the General in that area. What's he like? Does he 'move the earth'? Does he 'make you see stars'? I wouldn't know yo, I'm just going off stories of fantasies thrown about the Turk common rooms ya know?"

"Reno!" Cloud cried, rolling his eyes and blushing.

"Naw come on!"

"I'm gonna have lunch..." Cloud muttered, the redhead smirking widely as Cloud closed the door on his face.

--

They approached their welcoming party, all of which were smiling widely with awe-filled eyes latched on the approaching General. Tseng actually appeared grateful in the General's company, as he received less attention from his own admirers. It was as uncomfortable for the General as he expected, as he politely greeted each member and accepted gifts from well wishers and fans. He then handed the spotlight to Tseng, slinking into the town square to examine the area whilst the Commander briefed the group on their intentions. He looked around, an eery feeling settling over him. This town seemed far more familiar then he had expected, a memory from his childhood lingering beneath the surface. He heard a light laugh from the centre square, where a pair of townspeople were lightly discussing town affairs. A dark haired gentleman in hiking gear was standing rather regally, talking to a bubbly appearing woman with blonde hair, who sat and laughed airily, something about the sound bringing a small smile to Sephiroth's lips. A sense of familiarity and calm seeped through him at the sound, and he watched her for a moment. She was a beautiful woman, blonde hair framing a perfectly shaped face, a slight pink glow to her cheeks as she laughed again, before she turned to face Sephiroth, the General locked with pristine blue eyes, glowing of their own accord.

"...General Sephiroth sir?" A voice pulled him from the gaze, as he looked down, a boy smiling up at him.

"Yes?"

"Whatya lookin' at?" He asked curiously. Sephiroth returned his gaze to the fountain, the woman back in deep conversation with her male accomplice.

"Who is that woman by the fountain?" He asked the boy, who looked over his shoulder before turning straight back to the General.

"Ah, that's Ms. Soric..." the boy grinned, "She's real nice. She's got a weirdo kid though. Real kooky one, used to live round here."

_...Soric... _

"What was her first name?"

"Eleanor, I think..." The boy smiled widely at his knowledge.

_...Eleanor Soric... I know that name..._

The boy looked up to a place just beside Sephiroth's head, eyes widening slightly, drawing mild confusion from the General. He then realised the receiver of the attention, and smirked slightly.

"...Can I see it?" The boy whispered in awe, Sephiroth shaking his head slightly.

"It's dangerous..."

"Oh... please?" the boy asked again, quieter, and Sephiroth considered the thought, before withdrawing Masamune from it's sheath, the boy's eyes widening like saucers.

"Wowwwww!" He gasped, grin spreading across his face, "And you _fight _with that?"

Sephiroth nodded, the boy close to drooling over the sight before him. The General re-sheathed the blade as the boy rambled excitedly, Sephiroth returning his eyes to the fountain. Eleanor was gone.

"General?" A blushing woman approached the General, smiling sweetly, "I run the inn here. We're very honoured to have you staying with us..."

"The honour is ours. We are very grateful for your hospitality..." Sephiroth replied politely, Tseng smirking as the woman visibly swayed slightly.

_...Oh the lucky man he would be if he were straight..._

Sephiroth barely needed to speak in his rich baritone voice, and girls swooned automatically. Sephiroth barely seemed to notice, and when he did, he often mistook swoons of adoration for illness and became concerned. This lead to more troubles, the General gently placing a steadying hand on the love struck individual and only worsening the situation.

"Th...thank you General..." She stammered, her face reddening.

"Are you alright miss?" Sephiroth asked, reaching out a hand to comfort the brunette, Tseng intervening in time.

"She's just fine, Sephiroth. We need to do some planning, correct?" Tseng asked, Sephiroth drawing his hand from the brunette, who then proceeded to give death glares to the Turk Commander.

"Yes Commander... If you'll excuse us Miss...?"

"Oh, you can call me Laura..." She smiled sweetly, eyelids fluttering. Sephiroth giving Tseng a look which stated that he had not only caught on to her intentions, but to help him out of it.

"Then if you'll excuse us, Laura..." Tseng nodded politely, the General heading for the stairs, Laura squealing as soon as he was out of sight and literally diving onto her phone.

"Why?" Sephiroth asked with a soft sigh.

"I believe it's your striking good looks and reputation as Shinra's poster boy..." Tseng smirked, Sephiroth shaking his head as he scrawled across paperwork. He had lounged out across the chair provided in the somewhat luxurious room, placing his feet on the desk as he scribbled notes and observations feverently.

"They can not be so devoted..."

"I would not be surprised if..." Tseng smirked, walking to the window, "Yep..."

"Hmmm?"

"You have several admirers waiting for you outside it would appear..." Tseng snorted, Sephiroth standing and gliding to the window, frowning when he reached it. Several townsfolk were staring up at his window, and grinned excitedly when he appeared. Laura appeared soon after however, shooing the wellwishers away with a broom, Tseng snorting.

"...How was Cloud so hard to achieve then?" Sephiroth asked Tseng, who smiled softly.

"Because he is not a lustful fanboy. He loves you, and your relational understanding of eachother runs off just that... Cloud _knows _you... These people?" Tseng gestured with his hand to the dispatched gathering, "They hear only tales. They mean well, but they do not know you as anything more then a stoic General."

"I see..." Sephiroth mused, before staring briefly out the window, his features physically softening. He then headed for the door, his coat billowing behind him.

"Sephiroth?"

"If you'll excuse me Commander. There is someone I need to see..."

_...You're somewhat of a curio, Sephiroth..._

--

There was a knock at the door, and Zack entered slowly, his face seemingly a little strained, guilt settling in Cloud's stomach. There last conversation in Cloud's hospital room had been heated. Cloud had said so many things he hadn't meant, and had made Zack leave in anger. He'd been remorseful at first, then Zack returned, and he had become overwhelmed with guilt. In turn, he had become indescribably cold and angry, aiming it directly at Zack.

_**"Cloud, I'm sorry man, but you need to realise..." Zack cried as soon as he came through the door.**_

_**"No. I don't need him. I don't need anyone."**_

_**Zack then let out a small sigh and ran his fingers through his hair, mako beginning to rise in his eyes.**_

_**"...You do need him. You need lots of people. I don't know why you can't see that when all we're trying to do is protect you..."**_

_**"You always think you know everything about me. You don't know **__what__** shit went on when I was with Hojo do you?" Cloud hissed, Zack frowning in concerned surprise.**_

_**"Of course not, you're the only one who does and you don't want to talk..." Zack said softly.**_

_**"You don't really give a fuck..." Cloud said bitterly, his words leaving his mouth before he knew what he was saying, "I can tell you don't. You're just nosey."**_

_**"...How can you say that?" Zack frowned, shaking his head in frustration. Cloud's mind reeled. What was he doing?**_

_**"Because you don't and I went through HELL and back and here I am with someone who never really cared about me or gave a... just leave..." Cloud said lowly, verging on the brink of tears. **_

_**"Cloud..." Zack said gently, moving to embrace the blonde. After all he'd just said to Zack, the Lieutenant still tried to offer comfort and caring gestures. After the monster Cloud had began to turn into, Zack still saw him as he was before. After all the pushing away that Cloud did, Zack still stood by him.**_

_...I'm the trash of the Earth..._

_**"Cloud... don't say that, please... you know I care..." Zack said softly. Cloud lifted a blank expression, his own self loathing flooding his mouth in Zack's direction before he could stop.**_

_**"I hate you..." **_

_**Zack had stopped, the colour draining from his face as his eyes drew cold and shielded, seemingly overwhelmed by emotion. **_

_**"Ok..." The Lieutenant whispered, leaving the room almost immediately, not looking over his shoulder once, Cloud letting silent tears fall freely. **_

"I just wanted to make sure you were ok..." Zack said softly, his face hurt, "I'll check in later."

"Zack, wait..." Cloud said softly, the Lieutenant stopping as he reached for the door. Zack turned expectant eyes to the blonde, as he waited for Cloud to continue. They considered eachother for a moment, before Zack moved to the blonde's side, bringing Cloud's forehead to rest against his stomach. Cloud shuddered with the overwhelming guilt and remorse, as Zack petted his hair and murmured to the blonde.

"It's alright Cloud..."

"God Zack... You must... I can't understand how you can even want to be around me..."

"It's ok. You're alright now... We're ok..." Zack continued to murmur, sighing softly before pushing Cloud away from him and smiling down at him widely.

"I swear to God Strife, you'll be the reason I turn grey..." Zack teased, "But otherwise..."

Cloud looked away, the Lieutenant turning his cheek to look back at him. Cloud hated the way Zack could do something like that. All he had to do was smile like he was at that moment, and offer words of reassurance, and the blonde couldn't look away.

"_Other_wise..." Zack continued, "I could spend every day of my life hanging with you... even on my deathbed... and nothing would make me happier..."

Zack then reached out and affectionately ruffled the blonde hair, his smile softening as he brushed several strands off of Cloud's face.

"You mean heaps to me..." Zack shrugged a little, "You're like a brother. You're family, you know? I just... I always want to be there for you... be there to PROTECT you. And I..."

Zack's face returned to it's previous pain filled expression, and he closed his eyes, pulling Cloud's head to his chest again.

"...And I wasn't..."

Zack ran his fingers through the blonde's hair. He loved Cloud with his everything. He didn't love him like all the rumours claimed. He'd heard all of them in one way or another, of Cloud and he being in a relationship other then the loving brotherhood they shared. He could not even imagine bedding the blonde, but he could never imagine a life without him. Cloud was how Zack was at one point in his life, and Zack wanted to protect Cloud. Cloud had the chance of Zack looking out for him, where Zack was never presented with the option. Everytime Zack failed at protecting the blonde... his brother... his best friend... he failed his former self.

"...But you were..." Cloud said quietly, Zack continuing to pet the blonde.

"I was too late..."

"If you were too late, I would be dead."

The final realisation was all that Zack needed to clutch desperately at the blonde, mentally kicking himself as he let out a strangled sob. This seemed to startle the blonde, who withdrew from Zack's arms and tried to look Zack in the face.

_...No...don't..._

Zack simply pulled him closer and shook his head, the blonde clutching the Lieutenant's uniform and remaining silent.

"I'm sorry, Cloud..."

"Zack... Zack, are you alright?"

"It's just that you... We nearly lost..."

"It's ok... You're here now, that's all that counts..." Cloud reassured, Zack swiping at the tears in his eyes.

The charade was becoming so hard to keep up lately.

_...Cheerful attitude my ass..._

--

It was a beautiful rosebed, flowers blooming beneath a simple square shaped window, as Sephiroth approached slowly. The woman stood from where she was and smiled, a warmth in her greeting that Sephiroth was not accustomed to.

"General Sephiroth, it's a pleasure to have you in Nibelheim..." She smiled sweetly, those eerily bright blue eyes swirling with warmth. He felt as if just by looking at her, he'd known her his whole life.

"Thank you... This town seems familiar to me, and it's occupants have been no less then kind..." Sephiroth nodded, the blonde beaming.

"It's a lovely town. Some of the younger boys are rather rowdy, but I assume it is a phase all boys go through."

"Rowdy?"

"Oh... just rather prestigious in their opinions of themselves..." Eleanor smiled sadly, "But they are good boys."

She then ran a finger through her locks and smiled widely, a flash that once again sent a reel of familiarity through the General.

"I do not mean to be forward Miss..." Sephiroth said quietly, those dazzling eyes focusing on his once again, "But have I met you before?"

Here eyes flickered with a small hint of surprise, and her smile widened.

"No, I don't believe so, General... May I ask you a question?"

"Of course."

"How long have you known my boy?" She smiled softly, the General raising an eyebrow in confusion.

"Excuse me?" He asked, before she gestured for him to follow her. Sephiroth did so somewhat cautiously, as she lead him into the house. It was a small dwelling space, with two beds and a small kitchen along the far wall.

It looked like the family cottages Sephiroth had read about in picture books as a child, or the small and homely cottages in Gongaga. There was a bookshelf lined with photos of three prominent figures, and upon closer inspection, Sephiroth faltered. Eleanor noticed this and smiled, holding Sephiroth a silver framed photograph of none other then a young Cloud.

_...Cloud's mother..._

"He's always been a handsome boy. He's always had a particular effect on people also. I have never come across someone that has met Cloud and not seen him in my eyes..." She beamed proudly, "And there's not a ingle person who's met Cloud that I can't see Cloud in...He is my pride and joy..."

"You do not share the same surname..."

"No, we do not. His father, Bernard," She explained, handing Sephiroth another photograph of a tall gentleman, "Was killed whilst working in the mines at Mythril... Cloud took his name from his father, but I returned to my maiden name by Nibelheim laws."

"I am... sorry for your loss..." Sephiroth said softly, his eyes sweeping over the figure in the photograph. He was tall, and like Cloud, had a feminine prettiness, as well as a rugged build. He had dark hair however, and was smiling softly as he stood in front of the house Sephiroth now stood in.

"You should not be, no one was at fault..." Eleanor smiled reassuringly, taking the photo gently from Sephiroth's fingers and patting the General's arm as she placed it back on the shelf.

"Would you like something to eat at all, General?" She asked in the same calming voice, and Sephiroth found himself smiling in return.

"No thank you, Miss Soric... But I appreciate your kindness..."

"You may call me Eleanor dear. You're very polite..." she laughed lightly, gently patting the General's arm once again, "All these formalities are making me feel old."

"I apologise..."

"Oh dear, it's quite alright! May I ask you something?"

"Of course Eleanor..."

"You'll look after my boy, won't you?" She smiled softly, and Sephiroth nodded.

"He's an impecable SOLDIER, Eleanor. You have much to be proud of."

"I always have been, General Sephiroth. He's a beautiful boy, and he's so gentle. I couldn't imagine anything happening to him..." She frowned slightly, "He's never even broken a bone in his life, and scars are hard to come by on him... He got his father's complexion though. He bruises as easily as a baby..."

Sephiroth's mind flashed to the image of the blonde, battered, scarred and bloodied, and he felt overwhelmed with guilt. Cloud's mother stood before him, with the belief that Cloud was safe in Sephiroth's care, and yet it had been his fault that Hojo had...

"If you'll excuse me Eleanor... I must be going..." Sephiroth said gently. She looked at him with a concerned expression, and nodded slightly.

"You're not looking very well, dear. A position of yours must be hard to deal with..." She sighed softly, before guiding Sephiroth to the door, "Perhaps you could ask that lovely Turk accomplice of yours to relieve some of the load."

"You have met Tseng?"

"Tseng? The Commander? Not yet..." She smiled softly, "But the younger Turk, he came over earlier to speak of my flowers. His mother apparently has a flower shop in Kalm, and he was impressed with the quality of my roses. I think his name was Mark. Such a lovely boy!"

Sephiroth nodded, although this brought a thought to mind. Why did he know so little about the people around him? Mark had accompanied Sephiroth on many missions, and yet the General knew little more then the Turk's name and any details Tseng had mentioned previously. Perhaps the little things were more important to learn.

"Thank you Eleanor... I must be off..." Sephiroth repeated, the blonde nodding as she smiled widely, waving as Sephiroth crossed the town square, thoughts circling his mind.

_...What a fascinating woman..._

Tseng gazed out the window as Mark flung the door open, falling promptly onto one of the nearby beds.

"Urgh..." He groaned, drawing Tseng's attention as he pulled a pillow over his face, "Why must they be so... obsessive?"

Tseng chuckled, approaching the rookie's bed and pulling the pillow off of his face.

"Try not to suffocate yourself, Mark. Thank you..."

"Urgh! But Commander, they've been pestering me with a million questions an hour!!" He whined, eyes puffy with tiredness and irritation.

"It's impressive that you've lasted so long, Comrade."

"Bleh... They're just as much into you as they are Sephiroth you know?"

"Oh?" Tseng smirked with amusement.

"Yup... 'Does the Commander have a girlfriend?' 'Oh, how bout a boyfriend!?' 'Is it true that he once killed an entire platoon of enemy soldiers before they realised his presence?'" Mark sighed, as Tseng continued smirking.

"They over-exaggerate. There were at least five platoon members remaining when they realised I was there..."

"Heh... Could you imagine if they found out about that time that you broke into the Fort Condor base without so much as setting off an alarm...?"

"Well I assume that-"

"You did not fill out the suitable forms?" Sephiroth sighed, as he appeared at the doorway, Mark sitting upright.

"You know me well, General..." Tseng smirked, "Ah yes, Mark... please indulge us with their questions about the General..."

"Phew, not all of them can be listed..." Mark grinned, "But I particularly liked 'Does he dye his hair' and 'Do you think he'd mind cutting me a lock?' They're certainly enchanted by your hair... General Sephiroth... sir..."

Tseng snorted, Sephiroth raising an eyebrow.

"My... hair?" Sephiroth asked, Mark nodding, sweeping eyes over the General's features.

"It's... I dunno... alluring?" Mark shrugged, an awkward blush creeping across the rookie's features.

"It's... _hair..._" Sephiroth replied in confusion. Tseng smirked knowingly. He doubted Sephiroth would ever understand the amount of sex appeal he exuded just with his mere presence. He then focused on Mark, who's eyes had become slightly glossy and admirative.

"General Sephiroth Sir?" Mark began a little shakily, as Sephiroth focused his gaze on the young Turk, "Can I... can I touch it?"

Tseng snorted again at the brash boldness of his youngest Turk, Sephiroth focusing his gaze on the rookie, Mark withering slightly at the intensity. It was like that for a few moments, before Sephiroth merely leant forward, his hair falling off his shoulders and dangling before the gaze of the rookie. Mark reached out shaky fingers and ran his hands through it, eyes widening slightly in surprise. Tseng smirked further, Sephiroth pulling away shortly afterwards.

"...Was that all, comrade?" Sephiroth asked coolly, Mark nodding sheepishly.

"What's it like?" Tseng teased, and Mark gaped slightly.

"It's... dunno. It's really soft..." Mark replied, still gazing at the swinging silver locks.

"...Dismissed, comrade..." Sephiroth muttered, the Turk leaping off his bed and saluting before exiting the room swiftly.

"That was very strange of you Sephiroth..." Tseng mused, watching the General curiously. Sephiroth gave him a questioning look, and Tseng sat back on his designated bed.

"He made a reasonable request, even if it was perhaps strange..." Sephiroth attempted to brush off the incident.

"You're not usually fond of anyone unfamiliar touching your hair."

"Perhaps not as many people in the world should be so unfamiliar to me, Commander..." Sephiroth said softly, resuming his position at the table in the middle of the room and swinging his legs back onto the table.

_...Where did you just disappear to General?... You've come back a different man..._

--

_**Silken gold-brown locks, bordering on a red colour, hanging around a finely shaped face. Piercing blue eyes, peering out seductively from thickly lashed lids, as a small smile licked at the corner of full, sultry lips. **_

_**"I haven't seen him today, Sephiroth..."**_

_**"He was with you earlier, was he not?"**_

_**"No. I have been in the company of ... I have been in another's company. Is it urgent?" The soft voice said smoothly, Sephiroth smirking slightly.**_

_**"I suppose it is not."**_

_**"Then I'm afraid I'll be departing, General. Be sure to let me know if you need anything else..." **_

_**"Naturally. Thank you."**_

_**"Oh... Sephiroth?"**_

_**"Yes?"**_

_**"Try looking for his puppy... Zachary Fair, I believe..." Genesis smiled knowingly, and Sephiroth registered the implication. **_

_**"Thank you, Genesis."**_

_**"My pleasure..."**_

Sephiroth woke, glowing eyes peering at him through the dark. He let out a gentle sigh and returned the gaze.

"Are you feeling alright Commander?" Sephiroth asked softly, Mark's snores reverberating throughout the room.

"Yes General..." Tseng said lowly, hesitating. He closed his eyes briefly, the green flare disappearing once he had opened them again.

"You said his name, General..." Tseng said gently, confusion marring the General's mind.

_...Who's name?..._

"You called to Commander Rhapsodus in your sleep..." Tseng said quietly, Sephiroth rolling onto his back, "I can barely recall the last time you spoke within your slumbers..."

"You should perhaps sleep further Commander. Our day will be long tomorrow, I can assure..." Sephiroth said shortly, indicating the end of discussion. Sephiroth heard what was apparently a restrained huff of bitter laughter from the Commander.

"... Of course General. Sleep well..." Tseng said dangerously quietly, before falling into slumber once again.

Sephiroth however, lay in his bed for some time, the circulating image of Genesis playing in his mind, a sorrowful ache filling him intensely. He was not able to recall the last time he had dreamt, and yet his most recent slumber fuelled images were so vivd he could not help but feel that that moment in his life had been significant in some way.

They awoke the next morning, and explored the town, making corrections on their maps and plans for the visitation the following month. That night, they gathered once again in their inn room, before falling promptly asleep once again. The routine was repeated for several days, each day drawing curiousity from Sephiroth as his eyes lingered on the red area of his map. The Shinra Mansion. What was so significant about this particular dwelling? Something within him was calling him to the confines of the building, yet he continually pushed aside his wishes. Every night, he would gaze out of the inn window and lock his eyes onto the ominous looking mansion. Every night, his thoughts would lead to a vivid dream, and a pair of glowing green eyes as Tseng watched him in the darkness.

"Every night... a different person..." Tseng said drily, "It's as if this town is reviving memories you had once held buried, General..."

"...Who was it tonight, Commander?"

"Commander Hewley. You sounded distressed..."

"I am fine. We should sleep, Commander..."

"Of course General..."

Then every night, they would return into the same pattern. On the fourth morning, Sephiroth awoke after sunrise and rose, gazing once again out the window. He locked eyes with a figure across the town square, and smiled softly, as Eleanor Soric smiled widely at him, offering a small wave. The General's life was confusing him to no end, and the only thing he had become sure of every night as he woke to an empty bed, was his intense desire and longing for the touch, the embrace, the presence of Cloud.

_...Perhaps this is what it means to miss a person..._

_--_

Cloud undressed, stretching languidly as he yawned and stood on the bath mat. He reached into the shower and turned the water on full blast, waiting for it to heat before he clambered in to the extravagant confines of the General's shower. He had had a bad night regarding sleep, and relished in the hot water as it cascaded down his skin.

_...Or a good night in hopes of dreams..._

It was a memory embedded with him, silver hair spilling across him, as paled flawless skin rested against his own. Lustful green eyes gazed at him for what seemed like an eternity, before soft lips captured his own, thin fingers intertwining in his hair, and an exploring tongue slipping into his mouth with a gentle motion.

Cloud felt his body stirring at the thought, as he lathered his hair, the distinct smell of the General's shampoo filling his nostrils and fuelling his increasing desires.

The images were so vivid.

_**Cloud's eyes fluttering closed as lubricated fingers scissored themselves inside him, a low murmur urging him to keep his eyes open. A hollow feeling as the fingers were removed, before being replaced with something larger and more satisfying, stars exploding in his eyes, as a breathy moan was issued from the God above him. They lay still for a few moments, Cloud adjusting to the sheer size invading his body, before the blonde let out a gasp, rolling his hips to create movement. It was their cue. A universal symbol to tell the silver haired angel that Cloud could not remain still any longer. He needed the movement, the friction, the heat. Cloud's pleas were met with a slow thrust of the General's hips, gasps spilling in unison from the pair's lips, pleasure encasing them in a private world of their own.**_

Cloud rinsed his hair, his hand travelling down his chest and stomach, coming to rest on his growing erection, a blush creeping across his face. From the moment he's hit puberty, nothing had changed within him at the thought of Sephiroth touching him, kissing him, knowing him like no others before him had. Now though, he had real memories, not fantasies, that he could relish in and keep close to his heart. He began slow rythmic strokes of his hand, mimicking the burning memory of their most recent night of passion.

_**Cloud let out breathy moans with every thrust of the General's hips, eyes falling closed of their own accord, Sephiroth demanding once more that he keep them open. It was then that he had locked direct eye contact with the General, causing Sephiroth's pupils to dilate further before he leant forward, swallowing every gasp Cloud made with his desire fuelled kisses. The General had then slightly altered his movements, Cloud arching off the bed as his most pleasurable spot was hit with an accurately aimed thrust, the General pulling back from his ministrations of Cloud's lips and groaning as Cloud clenched subconsciously. **_

Cloud stroked himself faster, a pressure building with every recollection of the General's touch, his kisses, his bodily connection with Cloud as they moved fluidly together. Cloud had never thought it was possible to miss and need a person as much as he had Sephiroth. As well as missing the General's lobing and caring sides, Cloud longed for their late night interactions, and the gentle way in which Sephiroth handled Cloud, as if he were a fine porcelain doll. Sephiroth murmured his most emotionally filled words in the moments prior to his climax, and Cloud found more of a thrill with the subtle admissions then Sephiroth would ever know.

_**Silver hair clung to a sweat sheened forehead, lust swimming in emerald green eyes as they latched onto Cloud's.**_

_**"Keep them open... Cloud..." He panted slightly, the blonde watching him intently, straining to keep his eyes open against the wave of pleasure. Sephiroth's eyes changed slightly, the lust ebbing slightly to be replaced with a softer and more loving gaze.**_

_**"Perfect..." the General would whisper sharply, before lifting Cloud off the silken sheets and pressing the blonde against his body, thrusts hitting Cloud's prostate with deadly accuracy, as he ravaged the blonde's neck with hot kisses. With every breathy moan of the General's name, Sephiroth clutched Cloud minutely tighter. Cloud had cried out in his moment of orgasm, Sephiroth following shortly after as his teeth sunk into the blonde's shoulder. Pleasure mingling with pain increasing Cloud's heightened state.**_

"Sephiroth..." Cloud gasped, as his ecstacy overwhelmed him, his seed spilling onto his hand and being swept swiftly away by the cascading water.

_**Cloud looked up into the General's face as he lay the blonde gently back on the bed, his appearance slightly flustered as he breathed deeply, resting himself on the blonde's torso before removing himself a short time later. Cloud rolled over to face Sephiroth, a smile licking at the corner of the General's lips, as he extended out pale fingers and lightly brushed the blonde's cheeks. **_

_**"I love you..." Cloud whispered, "And I don't think you'll ever realise... what you mean to me..."**_

_**Sephiroth paused his fingers, leaning closer and gently pressing his lips against Cloud's. He drew back, his features gentle, angelic, and yet... he said nothing.**_

Cloud fell back against the shower glass and sighed at the recollection before working to clean himself again.

--

Cloud stood across the hall, leaning casually against the wall as he picked his teeth. A mousey brunette approached him, all smiles and placed an arm around his shoulder in a friendly gesture. The blonde smiled a little, as the brunette chattered to him, before Cloud lifted blue eyes and turned them across the hall. Reno was fairly certain that the blonde couldn't see him, but he was more then certain he knew he was there. Sure enough, as soon as the brunette had left, the blonde made a subtle gesture towards the Turk, and Reno stepped out of the shadows.

"Did you seriously think I didn't know you've been following me all day?" Cloud sighed, Reno shrugged a little. The redhead flicked his ponytail over his shoulder and leaned against the wall beside the blonde, passers-by casting a suspicious look at the pair. Cloud gave Reno a suspicious look of his own, and waited for the redhead to explain.

"You're naieve, aren't you blondie?" Reno asked, pulling a cigarette to his mouth and moving to light it. Cloud smacked it out of his hands, scowling.

"What the hell Strife?!" Reno cried, stooping to pick up the snapped cigarette, "That was my last one!"

"Good! You know how much that pisses Tseng off..." Cloud frowned disapprovingly, Reno shrugging.

"I'm not that big on smoking, only when it's stressful, ya know?"

"Why're you stressed now then?"

Reno thought of his looming feeling of dread assosciated with the mere word Nibelheim, and was reminded once again that Tseng was in the one place Reno did _not _want him to be. But he was no whiney bitch, so Cloud had no need to hear his real reasons.

"Clearly cause I've been tailing your moody ass all day..." Reno replied smugly, "And it's stressufl enough watching you all day, let alone your attempts at socializing..."

"Arrogant as always..." Cloud scowled, Reno snorting.

"Lighten up Blondie, I'm only teasin' ya..." reno smirked, looking at the clock on the wall, "Aren't you meant to be in Training by now?"

"I guess."

"...And you're still here..."

"Yup."

"Well... I'll you know... walk you there?"

"Nah, I'll be right."

"I gotta tail your ass anyway, may as well do it in the open."

"I'm not going."

Reno considered the blonde, who gazed out blankly across the hall, before fixating his eyes on Reno's.

"I don't think I've ever seen the day you've missed a training class. Not unless you were..." Reno stopped, raising an eyebrow at the blonde.

"What?"

"You still feeling kinda crap, Strife?"

"...Nope. I'm feeling fine."

Reno stepped forward and pressed on the blonde's chest, not hard, but hard enough that the blonde hissed. He snatched at the blonde's uniform and tugged the shirt upwards. Cloud swatted at Reno's hands, but the redhead had seen what he needed to. The blonde's chest was black, his bruises seemingly not healing at all. Cloud shoved Reno back, as the Turk straightened his uniform, the mako in Cloud's eyes burning brightly.

"I wouldn't be getting too pissy at me, Strife. Use some of that mako to heal those bruises yo..." Reno cocked his head defiantly, as Cloud gingerly placed fingers on his chest and hissed.

"What the hell are you thinking anyway?" Reno continued, "You said you were alright for duty."

"Theory. I did my theory classes..." Cloud said quietly, turning his gaze from the redhead and willing the mako from his eyes.

"They don't mean shit at this point yo. If you don't do your prac training, you're not gonna make it to the next class. You know that SOLDIER doesn't mean shit unless you can make it to Second Class Senior..." Reno shrugged, "If you don't make it that far you may as well say you never made it to SOLDIER."

"...I never made it to SOLDIER?"

"Hard fact of life kid. Second Class Seniors are pretty much entrance into the elite, ya know?"

"It's not my fault though... that I can't go to Training today..." Cloud replied quietly, Reno clapping him on the shoulder.

"How bout you try again tomorrow yo?" Reno shrugged, guiding Cloud down the hall, "They'll get it."

"Reno?"

"Yeah?"

"You think they'll be back soon?"

"Yeah, Tseng can't spend too long away from me, he misses my ass..." Reno smirked, oscillating his hips a little to prove his point, Cloud rolling his eyes. Reno thought he heard Cloud mumble something along the lines of 'manwhore' in Cloud's teasing rambling. He then pinched the blonde's ass, making Cloud not only blush furiously but emit a squeak in the process.

"Reno!" He hissed, as a Third Class walked past with wide eyes and a smug grin, "I swear that better not have started any rumours..."

"Come on Blondie," Reno smirked, "I bet old Green eyes himself is missin' your ass."

"That _doesn't _mean _you're _allowed to pinch it!" Cloud hissed again, looking somewhat frantically around for anyone else who may have seen. Reno snorted, the blonde rolling his eyes as he did so. Reno just couldn't help it sometimes. Something about Cloud was soooo easy to mess with.

--

**A/N**: YAY!

I love my Mark. lol. He's been popping up a little randomly, hey? There's always method to my madness though. XD

hehe.

Please let me know what you guys think!!

And I'm gonna try break for a lil bit... lol.


	12. Disappearance

Woo!

...Sooo tired.

Oh, I'm so sorry Training fans. :(

I neglected my Cloud/Seph for my Cloud/Tseng and my Zack/Cloud, because god I think they're yummy. lol.

ANYWAY, Yay chapter!

I cbf typing a proper intro for this one, so refer to prior warnings etc. bleh.

If you got this far, you should KNOW by now what you're expecting. -sigh-

_Training, Chapter 11_

_Zack gets some company in an unlikely form. Sephiroth returns from Nibelheim, concerned about Cloud's slow healing process, and looks into finding out the cause behind the matter. Reno disappears whilst on duty, and no one in the compound is able to locate him. A frantic Tseng, haunted by Hojo's predictions, prepares to raise hell to recover the redhead if the need arises. _

Maybe I shouldn't do summaries. Mine kind of suck. xD

--

Zack rushed to the door, his usually bouncy step increased even more so as the bag in his hands wobbled with every stair he mastered. He flung the door open, Cloud not even bothering to look up at the intrusion.

"Back so soon?" He said flatly, his eyes still glued to the television. Zack remained silent, standing at the door grinning, his hands filled with various shopping bags. It was the unusual silence of the Lieutenant on it's own that got Cloud to pay Zack any attention. The blonde's eyes widened a little in surprise as he spied the package at the top of the pile.

"Zack... what the hell...?" he sighed in defeat, Zack making his way to the kitchen, dumping a majority of the shopping on the tiled floor. All except the one bag which he held up against the light and smiled at.

"They're cool, yeah?" The lieutenant grinned, Cloud eyeing him off as he approached the couch.

"Pray do tell... Where will you keep them?" Cloud asked, Zack rolling his eyes.

"I used to have them when I was a kid. I kept their home from then. It's in my room somewhere..."

"In your room?"

"Yeah!"

"Good luck finding it..." Cloud shrugged, turning his attention back to the T.V.

"Nawww Cloud, come on! Pay them a bit of attention!" Zack whined with the highest pitch he could muster, Cloud knowing by now how to ignore Zack regardless.

"They're boring..." Cloud replied simply, "Besides, are you sure you're allowed to bring these into here?"

"My house, my rules. Besides, I know that Rufus has got a few and he's..."

"The president's son..." Cloud interrupted, throwing a glance at the bag in Zack's hand and smiling slightly.

"What?" Zack asked curiously, ther blonde shaking his head. Cloud loved them, Zack knew it. They'd just be here for all the times that Cloud was at training or doing some other kind of tasks anyway. They were Zack's damn it, why should it matter who else liked them?

"They're kinda cute..." Cloud shrugged, Zack waving the bag before Cloud's face.

"I know, huh? They've all got personality. I watched them for awhile before I bought them and picked out the ones I liked the best!" Zack grinned proudly, Cloud letting out a soft snort.

"Such a kid... What are you going to name them then?" the blonde asked, Zack raising an eyebrow and smirking.

"Well, I've already got that down pat my friend, no need to worry..." The Lieutenant grinned, Cloud throwing a suspicious glance in Zack's direction, before the land line rang shrilly.

"You can grab it yeah? I'll get these guys a home..." Zack beamed, ducking out of the lounge and into his bedroom.

Cloud let out a soft sigh, lifting the receiver and pushing the answer button.

"SOLDIER Barracks, First Class Lieutenant Zack Fair, Second Class Private Cloud Strife's residence, Strife speaking..." He muttered hurriedly, hating the way he had to answer the phone for Zack's sake.

"A little enthusiasm would go a long way, Private Strife... It sounds almost as if you're unhappy to be there... God would only know _why_..." Came the smooth reply, a hint of a smirk in it's tone.

"General Sephiroth sir!" Cloud grinned in spite of himself.

"Yes Private. This is somewhat of a personal call however, so I doubt that such formalities are necessary..."

"Oh. Ok then... Sephiroth... sir..." Cloud smirked, hearing Sephiroth sigh slightly.

"You will be the death of me, I am sure... How have you been?"

"I've been great..." Cloud lied, even now, a dull ache creeping across his abdomen and chest. _Everything_ hurt. Still.

"I am glad to hear that. I called to inform you that the Commander and I are on our way back. We'll be catching a helicopter from Junon to Midgar and landing in the west field..." The General said fluidly, before pausing for a few moments, "I have somewhat mourned the loss of your presence, Cloud..."

The blonde held back a snort at the almost timid approach that Sephiroth still approached Cloud with.

"Are you trying to tell me that you miss me, Sephiroth?" Cloud asked, smirking as another small silence followed.

"...Perhaps..." The General replied quietly, Cloud smiling to himself. It would do.

"Well then I can say I return the feeling..." Cloud replied, Sephiroth clearing his throat, "How was sleepy little Nibelheim?"

"...Interesting... I would not call it sleepy, as such..." Sephiroth replied, almost hesitantly. Cloud smiled to himself, as the next question approached his lips.

"Did you meet anyone I know?"

"Several, I am sure. In fact Cloud..." Sephiroth began, pausing for a significant amount of time, and clearing his throat.

"Yes?"

"Will you be meeting us at the landing fields, Private Strife?" Sephiroth asked, a subtle attempt at a change of subject.

"Of course."

"I suppose I shall speak to you then... I need to speak rather urgently with Lieutenant Fair however, regarding business..." Sephiroth said flatly, all business once again.

"Oh..."

"Is Zachary available?"

Cloud looked over his shoulder to where the Lieutenant had appeared a short time earlier, and smiled. He was finished with his job and was now making cooing noises towards his newest friends.

"I think so..." Cloud smirked, "I'll put him on..."

"Thank you Cloud..." Sephiroth said softly, before the blonde handed over the receiver to the Lieutenant. It had been almost four days since they had heard from either Sephiroth or Tseng, and the mere news that the pair were fine was good enough for Cloud.

"Sephiroooooony!" Zack cried when Cloud had handed him the receiver, Cloud watching the Lieutenant's smirk grow wider as a small silence followed over the other end of the line.

"...So help me god Zachary, when you least expect it I will be standing by your bed with Masamune crying for your blood..." Came the icy reply, Cloud barely able to hear after the General had lowered his voice to such a dangerous level. Zack waved off the remark however and perked up, heading for his bedroom.

"What souvenirs did you get me?" Zack asked animatedly, his voice fading as he disappeared down the hall. Cloud turned to the newly placed fish tank and stared at the four new occupants, all of which seemed to stare back at him. It reminded him eerily of a documentary he had seen regarding the effect of mako posioning on fish. The fish had all stared blankly through the ocean waters as they swam in the one spot, fixated on the camera lens and their own reflections within it.

"Fish are so freaking creepy..." He muttered to himself, before turning back to catch the last ten minutes of his show.

--

"Bastard..."

"I highly doubt it..."

"Bastard. I can guarantee you..."

"You've met him?"

"Hate him."

"Any particular reason?"

Reno stretched out lazily, and Cloud smiled, the redhead shrugging. They'd been discussing a list of Second Class SOLDIERs due for promotion, and they had all been basically shot down by the redhead. None moreso than Private Martin Johnston.

"He's pretty friendly with Macross in First Class. That guy's no good to begin with..." Reno explained, Cloud rolling his eyes slightly.

"Macross isn't so bad..." Cloud shrugged.

"Poor naieve Cloud-ette..." Reno sighed, patting the blonde on the back, before Zack approached, clipping the Turk over the back of the head.

"Ow! Mother fu-"

"Behave, Reno!" Zack interjected, the Turk still clutching his head, a few of the support crew snickering. They had been waiting for almost an hour in the marquee in the landing fields for the Commander's private helicopter to arrive. Reno, ever the impatient one, had barely kept quiet for the entire time.

"Yes sir..." He scowled, Zack grinning suddenly and pulling the Turk into a head lock, affectionately scruffing up his hair.

"God damn it Fair!" Reno snorted, as Zack then moved to flicking the redhead's side, "Getoffmeeeee!"

Cloud watched as the pair rough-housed for a few minutes, drawing attention and amusement from the gathering crowd of cadets that were floating around in hope of seeing the General arrive.

"Lieutenant?" Cloud said quietly, Zack turning to face Cloud as he continued to pester Reno.

"Yu-huh?"

"Do you think perhaps you should be toning it down a little?" Cloud smirked, and Zack rolled his eyes.

"Come on Cloudy boy! These kids thrive off the entertainment value!" Zack winked, before turning to gesture at the group, "They're always looking for a show!"

Cloud rolled his eyes as Zack literally dropped the redheaded Turk, aiming for a different form of entertainment.

"They're waiting for the General..." Cloud muttered. Zack snorted, before waving a dismissive hand in Cloud's direction.

"By the time you all get to SOLDIER, you're expected to be flexy..." Zack grinned at the surrounding cadets, as many looked on in confusion. He then proceeded to flip over and land on his hands in a headstand, drawing a round of applause from the cadets.

"Show pony..." Reno muttered, rolling his eyes and fixing up his ruffled uniform.

"You'd do the same if he wasn't here..." Cloud smirked, as Reno shrugged, a smirk of his own creeping across his face.

"Maybe, but the fact is it that he never shares his audience..."

"He did when you two were mucking around..."

"Not cool though..."

Cloud watched with a raised eyebrow as Zack then flipped himself upright and headed for a scrawny young cadet with black hair.

"Heyyyy! You, cadet!" he grinned, gesturing for the cadet to meet him halfway.

The cadet froze on the spot however, his eyes widening. Zack shrugged, walking the full way to the cadet and stooping a little so he was at eye level with the terrified boy.

"Y...Yes sir?" The cadet saluted instantly, drawing envious glares from his peers as Zack reached out a hand and ruffled the toussled black hair.

"You kind of look like me when I was your age," Zack grinned, the cadet blushing, "What's your name?"

"Tobey, sir. Tobey Williams..."

"Well Tobey, what brings you out to the landing fields today?" Zack grinned, and the cadet smiled a little in return, his face lighting up with excitement.

"Rumour is that General Sephiroth will be coming back from Nibelheim today, sir!"

"Ahhh... And you hope to catch a glimpse of a certain someone, huh?"

"Uh... Yes sir!"

"Are you one of those boys that has a bit of a crush on General stuffypants?" Zack winked, and the cadet's face flared red. His mouth fell open in surprise at both the question and the nick name Zack had given the cadet's hero.

"Um... n-no... sir..." the cadet stuttered, a few of his surrounding comrades holding back restrained laughter.

"He's actually got posters of one of the higher-ups in his room though, sir!" A young brunette piped up, goofy grin along his face, "Maybe you'd know him!"

"Maybe I would..." Zack grinned, "You know, if you told me who it was, I might be able to get a meeting with him for you..."

The cadet turned even darker, and his friends were near hysterical.

"I...I probably shouldn't, sir..." he stammered.

"Sure you shuld!" Zack grinned, "Are you worried about what he might think of you? It wouldn't matter if he turned you down anyway right? All the people I know in SOLDIER are really nice. They won't laugh or judge you, you know?"

"Leave the kid alone, Zack... geez..." Reno sighed. Zack shrugged.

"Eh, I'm happy to play matchmaker anytime you want kid. You can come to me any time you need it, ok?" Zack grinned, ruffling Tobey's hair once again.

"Thanks sir!" He grinned, his blush fading slightly as the pressure was eased off of him. Zack casually began strolling around and conversing with the cadets, and Cloud smiled a little.

"Mister popular he is, hey?" Reno snorted, and Cloud shrugged.

"You can't tell me you didn't like him from the first time you saw him?" Cloud asked. Reno smiled a little and gaze Cloud a knowing gaze.

"He's got character, and I know that even though he goes show ponying around, he's got balls of steel..." Reno shrugged, "He's the best fighter we have under Sephiroth and Tseng. He might just be enough to rival Rufus..."

"Rufus?" Cloud said in surprise, as Reno snorted.

"That kid's a calculated bastard, although he doesn't fight if he doesn't have to. The thing about being surrounded by Turks from the moment you're born, is that you're bound to learn a few things..." Reno smirked, and Cloud shrugged a little.

"Never would have picked him as a fighting type..."

"Nobody ever does..." Reno said a little darkly, "And that's why he's so damn dangerous..."

"Hey Zack, you wanna quit moving around so much?" Cloud frowned, as the Lieutenant undertook a vigorous squatting competition with a nearby cadet.

"Can't help it Spikeball. I'm on edge, you know?" Zack grinned, as the cadet he was competing against swaggered in exhaustion, before falling back on his butt. Zack stopped, looking down at the panting figure on the grass.

"They're no way near the same level as you, Lieutenant..." Cloud explained, and Zack shrugged, before drawing his sword from the sheath on his back.

"You are though. Let's spar!" Zack smirked, as a round of gasps resounded through the group, followed by the murmur of excited chatter.

"Me?" Cloud scoffed, "You're a little too hopeful in my abilities I think..."

"You've been moving alright though. You seem to be healed enough for a bit of a spar. I won't hurt you, I _promise_..." Zack pouted. Cloud rolled his eyes at the mere expression on the Lieutenant's face, and Zack snorted.

"The General would murder you if he found out about this..." Cloud sighed, his defence breaking at the eagerness of Zack and the opportunity of finally being able to spar again. He felt fine at the moment, so there couldn't be too much harm in it, could there?

"We'll hear the chopper coming, right?" Zack grinned deviously, and Cloud shrugged a little.

"Sure, why not?" he smirked, before gesturing at one of the support crew to grab him a sword.

Cloud gripped the hilt in his hands and smiled, the rush of an oncoming battle flooding his senses, as the mako within him began to prepare for combat.

"Are we ready, SOLDIER?" Zack asked, cockily swinging his sword in his usual victory display.

"And what was that Lieutenant?" Cloud asked, raising a scrutinizing eyebrow.

"Just practicing for later..." Zack shrugged, as Cloud shook his head, turning the sword in his hand slightly. He rushed forward, as Zack grinned, moving forward also to meet the blonde's blow. Cloud held up his sword as Zack brought it down upon the blonde's own.

"Smooth block there blondie..." Zack raised his eyebrows in surprise, as Cloud pushed him back with a kick to the stomach. Zack was incredibly fast, Cloud being cornered into focusing his skill entirely on defence, as his mako energy increased. That was the problem with facing First Class SOLDIERs. Unlike Cloud, who had to wait a minute or so for his mako to be fully activated, First Class fighters were up and ready to go in a matter of seconds.

"There we go..." Zack grinned, as Cloud felt the green liquid beginning to burn through his body, "You've got your glow thing happening. Let's really get this started, hey?"

"That's the idea..." Cloud sighed, before thrusting and parrying as Zack managed to somehow defend and attack simultaneously. The clash of metal rang through the air as the swords met, the crowd letting out a cheer as the battle continued to progress. Zack, seemingly fuelled by the crowd reaction, grinned and flipped, attacking Cloud from above. The blonde fell onto his back to avoid the blade's swing, and pushed off the ground with his hands, placing both feet firmly into Zack's stomach and kicking the Lieutenant back. Zack fell across the field, managing to roll back onto his feet and letting out a bark of laughter. Cloud was surprising him, it appeared, and Zack was loving every minute of it.

The Lieutenant rushed forward, throwing a barrage of blows in the blonde's direction, Cloud holding fast in the ground as he concentrated on blocking each and every powerful blow. When that became a little too much however, he began moving his feet, blocking with one shot and attacking on Zack's recovery. He was effectively cornering the Lieutenant in the same manner Zack had done to him. The pair were locked in a game of constant block and attack, neither making progress. That was until Zack began increasing his mako flow and his attacks became harder and harder to defend against. He smirked, and Cloud frowned in return. Something about the current mindset of the Lieutenant was concerning Cloud as he felt his own mako burn increasing throughout his body. Although it was beginning to hurt to fight at such a high level, Cloud pressed on, his swings falling faster and harder. Cloud swung his sword in a downward direction, and Zack hissed, the blade striking a light cut along his cheek. The Lieutenant looked at Cloud in startled surprise, before looking away slightly, a drop of blood falling from his cheek and striking his hand.

"...That's twice now..." He frowned, his eyes beginning to burn even brighter than before, as his gaze returned to meet Cloud's. He then smirked somewhat ferally as his eyes narrowed slightly. Whatever had happened within Zack had caused him to attack with a new ferocity, Cloud struggling in his defence of the Lieutenant's blow. The cadets were ecstatic at viewing such a fight, their cheers and hoots increasing in volume as the pair continued to battle, unaware of the monstrous side of Zack that was beginning to surface. Zack then pushed firmly on his blade, as he met Cloud's sword, and twisted, disarming the blonde. The sword landed a metre or so away, as Cloud hit the deck. Zack swung again, seemingly so far lost in the battle that he was not considering the fact that Cloud was defenceless. Cloud rolled and snatched up his sword, swinging again and blocking Zack's next strike. He gathered his strength and pushed the Lieutenant further back, allowing him enough room to stand. The pair were sweating profusely, as the Lieutenant's eyes darkened, despite their mako glow. Zack was far too determined to win this battle, and far too lost within it to stop now. Cloud was panting heavily, the pain burning throughout him dizzying him to no end. It was too dangerous to rest however. Zack was on the edge of losing control, and he would most likely seriously hurt Cloud unless the blonde could knock some sense into him.

Cloud swung his leg out whilst simultaneously swiping at Zack with his sword. The action cause the Lieutenant to stumble back, and fall to the ground.

"Quit it... Zack..." Cloud puffed.

The Lieutenant however, sprung back to his feet, and charged at Cloud again, as the blonde swaggered slightly on his feet, exhaustion catching up to him.

"Zack..." He said hoarsely, forced to hold back the Lieutenant once more with his sword, "You've won this, just... stop..."

"I'm going to win this..." Zack hissed slightly, and pushed Cloud hard enough to knock him to the ground once more, "The only way I ever have..."

He swung his sword once again, and Cloud braced, waiting for the burn of steel through flesh. It never came however, the familiar sound of metal on metal resounding, before the blast of a magic spell, as Cloud struggled to sit up. The crowd had gone completely silent, and the only sound that could be heard was a groan of pain, sounding very much like Zack. Then, once again, the clash of swords. Once, twice, a third time, and then a thud, as if someone had just fallen upon the fresh grass of the field. Complete silence loomed for several moments, before a voice broke the stagnant air.

"You've disappointed me, Lieutenant..." came the calming voice of Cloud's familiar hero. The blonde closed his eyes as the pain overwhelmed him again, and his head spun.

"I don't know... what... happened..." Came the choked reply of Zack. Cloud struggled to sit up once more, but a hand pushed his shoulder down. The blonde opened his eyes to a softly smiling Tseng, as the Commander shook his head slightly, brown eyes watching the blonde with concern, before turning his gaze to the direction Cloud had last seen Zack in.

"You lost control... in a friendly spar, of all things..." the baritone voice had said with an icy undertone ringing through it.

"It's never... happened... before..." Zack continued to choke his reponses, before Cloud was finally strong enough to push himself into a sitting position, Tseng resting his hand against the blonde's back to steady him. Zack lay on his side, a trail of blood sliding from the corner of his mouth, as Sephiroth stood above him. The General was looking down with a stony expression, as Zack stared across the grass to the injured Cloud.

"...Cloud..." He gasped, his face screwing up with a mixture of both pain and self loathing.

"You're friend, Lieutenant... Do you realise now what heinous act you almost committed?" Sephiroth said quietly, as Zack nodded solemnly.

"What happened... to me...?" Zack asked, his eyes turning upwards to Sephiroth. The General's expression was beginning to soften slightly, unbeknown to any of those who did not know the silver assassin as well as Cloud did. The General knelt beside his right hand man and cast a cure spell, the green light enveloping his comrade as Zack let out a cry.

"Mako withdrawals are sometimes capable of such a reaction. You'll need to see someone about getting furhter mako treatments, or you will continue to lose control..." Sephiroth said, as Zack nodded, slowly sitting up and returning his gaze to Cloud. Sephiroth did the same, his eyes almost boring into Cloud's own, as the blonde turned his gaze away. He shouldn't have sparred with Zack to begin with. Sephiroth had asked that much of him, and he had refused.

Sephiroth continued to watch him for a few moments, before turning to face the cadets. They had clearly not moved a muscle since the General had appeared.

"Cadets," He called out, Zack slowly rising to stand by Sephiroth's side as the General addressed them, "Thank you for greeting the Commander and myself this afternoon. You are, however, required to be in classes within the next ten minutes. I recommend you leave immediately, or I shall have no choice but to begin punishing tardy cadets..."

A chorus of "Yes Sir!" rang out, before the swarm of cadets disappeared in an instant, no doubt talking about the day's events and exaggerating it, even between themselves. It was then that the General left Zack where he was and moved to Cloud's side. He stooped then, Tseng standing and leaving, to give the two a moment, as Zack chose to keep his distance. Sephiroth regarded the blonde as Cloud shrunk slightly under his gaze.

"You fought... Regardless of what I had asked of you..." Sephiroth said quietly.

"Sephiroth... I'm really so-"

"You _deliberately _disobeyed my request and put your life into potential danger..." Sephiroth cut Cloud off, the blonde holding back the urge to cry at the evident confusion in Sephiroth's voice. It may very well be the closest thing to emotional pain that the General ever chose to express.

"Zachary could have very well killed you today. What would have happened then? What would we have done?" Sephiroth said with a small sigh, as Cloud swallowed hard, his guilt consuming him from the inside out as the pain continued to burn through him. Cloud let out a small hiss of pain as Sephiroth reached out and placed a flat palm against the blonde's chest. Sephiroth's expression remained flat as he then pulled up the blonde's shirt and nodded slightly upon seeing the still darkened colour of Cloud's skin.

"As I presumed... you're not healing..." he said quietly, as Cloud snatched his sweater back down.

"It's nothing..." He shrugged, standing on his feet in an irritated attempt to leave the immediate area. He swayed once again however, and was caught by the General, who stooped and swooped the blonde into his arms before Cloud could register what had happened. A few of the straggling cadets looked close to exploding as their jaws dropped, blatantly jealous of the blonde in _their _General's arms.

"...I'm ok..." Cloud frowned slightly, as Sephiroth gently pressed the blonde's head against his shoulder.

"This amount of healing time is not acceptable... Have you... used that materia?" Sephiroth asked, dropping his voice slightly.

"Yes... Zack helped me cast it..." Cloud muttered. A mixture of embarrassment at his lack of magic skills, the eyes staring as Sephiroth carried him, and the shame of ignoring the General's words burnt through his cheeks. Or so he thought, until the rest of his body began burning too, and the heat in his forehead became almost unbearable. He choked for breath, before Sephiroth stopped, turning his gaze downwards in concern.

"...Cloud?" He said simply, before the blonde faded to black.

--

"I honestly hadn't seen... Like, I didn't know or I would have..."

"It's alright, Lieutenant."

"I don't even know what came over me today. You know I wouldn't do anything... that might... You _know_ I wouldn't, right?"

"I would hope not."

"You would... hope not?"

"I apologise..." Sephiroth sighed slightly, as he continued leaning against the wall of the laboratory, still refusing to enter, "I should have perhaps phrased that better. I know that you would not intentionally hurt him, but the facts here state that you did, Zachary..."

"What the hell happened to me?" Zack said softly, his eyes darkening in apparent disappointment with himself. Sephiroth could not help but feel a little uncomfortable with the distraught persona that Zack so rarely adopted, as he found it so incredibly difficult to know what to say that would be of any comfort to the Lieutenant. It turned out that he needed not to deal with it at the moment however, professor Mitchells re-emerging from the laboratory and letting out a soft sigh.

"You are more than welcome to wait inside. You know that, right?" He raised an eyebrow, before Sephiroth threw him a cold glare.

"I am well aware of where I can and can not be. My issue lies in the simple lack of a desire to enter the building you attempt to pass off as beneficial to SOLDIER..." He hissed, before Zack plastered on a somewhat panicked grin, and shrugging in the professor's direction.

"Uh, sorry doc. I guess Hojo left a bit of a mark for us. I'm not so fond of labs either you know. Nothing personal against you dude, you rock!" Zack grinned, clapping the professor on the shoulder.

Mitchells gave him a somewhat grateful smile, and lifted his glasses from his nose briefly, brushing the dark black fringe from his eyes as he nodded at Sephiroth.

"Hojo? Ah, we can only wonder where he went. Did you get the memo of his retirement? Somehow I doubt that... Anyway, of course, General..." Mitchells said solemnly, "I was incredibly out of bounds there. I am sorry."

"It can be forgiven. How is private Strife?" Sephiroth asked lightly, attempting a subtle change of subject, as Mitchells frowned slightly.

"Well, at the moment, he seems fine. He regained consciousness and is talking to a few of the other patients, so he seems well apart from the brusing across his skin. I'd like to have him in for x-rays, blood tests and the likes by the end of the week... I wouldn't worry General, he will not miss a significant amount of Training, and I am sure he will be ready to fight for you again within a week or so..."

Mitchells then smiled, and Sephiroth nodded in recognition of his words, choosing to keep his expression flat. It was wise to let the professor believe that Sephiroth's interest in the blonde was strictly professional. He never wanted Cloud in a position of danger such as Hojo's again, and if anybody was capable of providing Cloud with that danger, it was Mitchells.

Although the professor was a generally friendly and laid back gentleman, if he found anything of interest within a person, he became very much like his predecessor. Professor Andrew Mitchells had studied under Hojo for four years, only now receiving leadership of the team upon Hojo's 'disappearance'. The pair were similar in many ways, including their disregard for Shinra's rules and guidelines. The most striking difference was the pair's appearances. Whilst they both had long, ebony black hair, Hojo was deathly pale and his hair had always held a slick appearance. Mitchells was a tall and strapping young man with plenty of potential and intelligence. His skin was lightly tanned, and his smiles were welcoming and friendly, as he would casually brush waved locks from his face, sometimes tying it back in a rushed ponytail as Hojo did. Hojo had rarely been seen without his glasses perched precariously on his nose, whilst Mitchells only ever wore his when he was unable to use contacts. Upon looking at photos of the pair, Hojo was always scowling or had a calculated smirk, hunched over and clearly not impressed with the world. Mitchells, on the other hand, always bore a charming smile, hair neatly combed as his eyes radiated kindness from their depths. Sephiroth knew differently however. When it came down to research and findings, Mitchells was bitter towards Hojo, having been practically raised by Professor Hollander and speaking very highly of professor Gast. He was fiercely competitive and would sacrifice nothing for an upper hand over Hojo. He was also combat trained, as he was an ex-Turk, leaving the group after his partner was shot and killed in the line of duty. He asked to be assigned to work with Hollander, and Shinra complied. After the incidents that unfolded regarding Hollander, Mitchells was left in Hojo's care, further increasing his resentment toward Hojo and Shinra. He was dangerous in every sense of the word.

"How is he recovering from Hojo's piece of work?" Zack asked, as the professor scowled slightly.

"As well as he can be..." Mitchells replied, screwing up his face slightly, "How are you feeling, Lieutenant? I heard about your incident this afternoon..."

Zack paled a little and withdrew slightly further into himself. Mitchells was now watching the Lieutenant with an intense curiosity, his gaze never leaving Zack's face.

"Yeah, I'm pretty good doc. I guess I just caught up in the battle..." Zack grinned, and the professor made an odd 'hmmm' noise.

"Have you ever had anyone other than Hojo give you your injections?" Mitchells asked, and Zack flicked his gaze towards Sephiroth. The General watched him carefully, as he gave a small nod.

"Zachary..." Sephiroth said quietly, and Zack forced his eyes to meet the General's, "What is the meaning of this? I strictly told you upon you entering first class that no one other than Hojo was to give you your mako injections..."

"I don't see what the big deal is though... Hojo was away that one week, remember? I had a bit of a flu, so Hollander gave me a booster..." Zack replied, "It's not like you trusted Hojo anyway..."

"I trusted him more than Hollander..." Sephiroth scowled, and Zack's eyes turned away once more.

"Hollander, you say?" Mitchells mused, a smirk creeping across his lips, "Interesting... Seems he got it to work after all... Well I'll need to keep an eye on you Lieutenant..."

"And why is that?" Sephiroth snapped coldly, before the professor's smirk became significantly more wry.

"Precautionary measures, General. On another topic however, perhaps your presence would comfort the blonde Lieutenant?" Mitchells asked lightly, "It seems you two are close?"

"...I don't think it would, actually..." Zack replied somewhat awkwardly, as he shuffled slightly on his feet.

"He was concerned of your welfare. He was even as worried enough to ask if you were still willing to talk to him..." Mitchells shrugged a little, and Zack's eyes lit up with hope.

"Really?"

"What reason would I have to lie, Lieutenant?" Mitchells smiled warmly, and Zack turned to Sephiroth hopefully.

"You may see him if you wish to do so..." Sephiroth managed to reassure, before Zack had disappeared in an instant.

The General held his gaze over the professor, as Mitchells did the same.

"Are you feeling alright General?" Mitchells asked lightly, and Sephiroth nodded curtly.

"I am fine thank you..."

"Then perhaps it would boost your SOLDIER's moral if you were to visit him also?"

"Once again, I refuse to enter, professor... Although your consideration for the welfare of my SOLDIER is noted..." Sephiroth replied coolly, "When Zack returns, order him to my office immediately, if you would..."

"Of course General..." Mitchells replied, hesitating slightly, "...but General?"

"Yes?"

"When was _your _last mako treatment?" Mitchells asked, as Sephiroth supressed the anger rising within him.

..._It was a simple question, there is no need for suspicion..._

"Approximately a fortnight ago..."

"You are coming close to the limit, General. Perhaps tomorrow you could come by the labs and..."

"I am capable of delivering my own injections. Hojo made sure of that. Good day, professor..." Sephiroth replied bitterly, before turning on his heel and leaving, ignoring the amused expression on Mitchells' face.

--

Rude let out a gentle snore, as a small trail of drool began falling from the corner of his mouth. He had spent the night again, that much was certain, and the thought was a little more than concerning. Even moreso considering the pile of paperwork remaining on his desk. Tseng charged his EMR and sent a jolt through Rude's side, the Turk falling from his chair in a startled surprise, only to re-emerge saluting his commander. Tseng picked up one of the documents off the top of the pile and cast a quick glance over it. Reno's name leapt out at him from the fluoro pink sticky note on top of it.

_'Reno, please be sure to sign and file these ASAP. I'm not kidding. I'll personally kick your ass if Rude has to do any more of your paperwork... Love Elena. xoxo'_

"Rude?" Tseng let out a soft sigh, as the tanned Turk resumed his position at his desk.

"Yes sir?"

"Have you been doing Reno's paperwork again?"

"..."

"Rude..."

"We have a system..."

Tseng cocked an eyebrow at this, and Rude seemingly suppressed a smirk.

"A system of what?" Tseng asked, crossing his arms.

"Exchange."

"Exchange?"

"I do his paperwork, he gets me my contacts when I need them..."

"Your contacts?"

"Yes sir..." Rude replied quietly, as Tseng leant forward on the desk, holding his unwavering gaze on his employee.

"Contacts for _what _exactly?"

"Explosives, electrical components, advanced weaponry, anti-shinra contraband..." Rude replied smoothly, "Everything I ever need to do my job right."

"Where is Reno now then?" Tseng asked, a familiar headache beginning to pound through his skull.

_...You'll be the death of me you redheaded son of a bitch..._

Rude gave him a quizzical look and frowned slightly.

"You ordered him on assignment shortly after you returned, remember sir? I presume he is still out..."

"I ordered him on assignment almost four hours ago... He should have long returned by now... Has he called at all? Paged? Text messaged?"

"No sir. Perhaps you should ask Elena?" Rude suggested, and Tseng nodded.

"Alright Rude... You're excused for a two hour lunch. Use it however you please. Perhaps a nap _off _paid work for a change?" Tseng mused, and Rude nodded shamedly.

Tseng made his way to the reception area, as the blonde smiled widely up at him from her desk.

"Commander Tseng sir!" She beamed, and he smiled slightly in return. She was seriously misguided in her affections for him, and yet he did not know of any way to tell her without hurting the blonde.

"Elena. You're looking well..." He said, as she blushed deeply.

"Th-thank you sir... Can I help you with anything?" She asked, and he nodded in reply.

"Have you heard from Reno? He is late upon returning from a mission, and is yet to contact our office..." Tseng said quietly.

Elena rolled her eyes at this and let out a soft sigh, muttering under her breath. Tseng was sure he had picked up 'pain in the ass' and 'lazy bastard' amongst her mumblings, as she checked all records of contact between Turk members. She then snorted, and quickly covered her mouth.

"Um... no sir. Reno is yet to have contacted any Turk members... Several have contacted _him _however..." Elena smirked, as she tapped away at her keyboard.

"...Saying what?"

"Oh god, sir... Don't make me read them out loud..." She giggled, "But anyway, no, noone has received word from him."

"And you're sure they haven't?"

"The only incoming and outgoing messages I can't trace are from your own personal cell phone sir. If he's contacted anyone apart from you, it wasn't from his cell, and we all know what he's like with public phones..."

"Won't go near them with a ten foot pole..."

"Exactly. So, no... no contact..." Elena said quietly, as Tseng nodded slowly. There was nothing to worry about, surely. Reno often swaggered in from assignments late and smelling faintly of liquor. Tseng usually allowed this behaviour with all his Turks, as alcohol was a common retreat from whatever gruesome task they had just committed. As long as they were responsible drinkers on work time, he was moderately lenient.

"Thank you Elena. I'll try getting into contact with him..." He smiled, as Elena nodded, smiling widely.

"Anything to help, sir..." She smiled, as Tseng turned to return to his office.

The Commander opened his phone and dialled the redhead's cell. After several attempts, he reached Reno's voicemail.

"Yo... Uh... I hate this shit. Leave a message if you want, but I never do. Fuck voicemail man... Annnd... Beep!" Came the redhead's voice, followed by an automated tone.

"Firstly, change your voicemail message before I'm forced to punish you. Secondly, where are you? Drag yourself and your over-inflated ego back here immediately..." Tseng sighed, hanging up the phone.

"No luck?" Rude asked, a small smirk creeping across his face as Tseng moved to the redhead's desk.

"Not yet..." Tseng replied smoothly, although a panic was beginning to rise with Hojo's words ringing through his ears.

_...No, if anything were to happen to Reno, it would have happened already... Hojo himself said that..._

He began ruffling through the redhead's planner for the day, and widened his eyes slightly.

_'Bastard comes home today. Might be excited, but you know, never one to show it right? Fucker's been gone for ages! What's he been expecting me to do huh? Otherwise, it looks like one of those bored shitless days again. Eh...'_

"Not exactly proper use of a planner, red..." Tseng muttered, and Rude snorted.

"Does he ever use anything the way it's meant to be used?" He asked, and Tseng quirked an eyebrow. Rude had a point, but he wasn't so willing to let him know that. He continued rifling through the papers and paused, unable to stop the small smile creeping across his face. A newspaper clipping from the Shinra Times was folded neatly in a little cardboard frame. It was a picture of Tseng, where he was actually smiling, and the Commander snorted at the image of himself.

_...Sentimental bastard..._

"You alright boss?" Rude called out, as he opened his cell and began dialling numbers.

"I'm fine thank you, Rude..." Tseng mused, "Aren't you on break?"

"Personal call?" Rude shrugged, even as Tseng picked up the sound of Reno's somewhat vulgar message bank through Rude's cell phone. The bald headed Turks slight look of concern was unsettling Tseng further. He held his composure however and dialled Sephiroth's cell.

--

**A/N:**

Wow, took a long time to update this, I know, but my head's been scattered all over the place. XD

The whole goldfish ordeal came from a true story by kelle611 that I just HAD to include in here. lol. It was too good to let it slide. XP We will see more, I promise. hehe.

AND isn't it CREEPY that those apples I wrote about last chapter are actually _in_ crisis core, but Banora? O.o Dumbapples. Geez. Just that they were more blue than purple... Still, I had noooo idea, and it freaked me out when I re-read what I'd written. Maybe I have a weird psychic (or psycho) connection. I'd written the last chapter and most of this chapter before I'd even SEEN pieces of Crisis Core. Ooh... lol.


	13. Guilt

IT LIVES... Moderately...

Urgh, what is wrong with me, huh?

No posts for ages. :(

Sorry Guys. I'm gonna try harder, you know?

BIG hugs to Stoic-Genius, a legend as always. -hugssss-

To each and every one of my reviewers- ILY! xD Special thanks to Maumse, who just kinda found this story, and yet still managed to review every chapter. -Big smiles and hugs-

_Chapter Twelve_

_Reno is still missing, encouraging Tseng to take search efforts into his own hands, whilst Zack is guilt ridden about his moment of madness with Cloud. Cloud's main focus, however, is on the lack of time that the General is giving him and faces his own guilt from disobeying an order... _

_SHOOT MY SUMMARIES TO HELL. lol._

**Warnings:** You know what you're in for by now. Geez. You just like to see me type, right?

--

"Time report?"

"Five hours beyond schedule sir..."

"It's time then..."

"What would you have us do, sir?"

"Rude, you and Michela will head out to sector seven and apprehend anyone we have suspicions with, regarding AVALANCHE. Robert, you and Lachlan will head over to sector five slums... Make sure she's safe..."

"And you sir?"

Tseng thought on this. Where exactly was he meant to go? Was it even ethical to become involved in the investigation at all?

_...Fuck ethics... _

"I'll head over to SOLDIER and see if they have anyone to spare, before heading to four..." Tseng nodded, as Rude gave him a concerned look, his team members already clearing from the office.

"Boss, do you really think that..."

"Knowing Reno, he'll be fine. We're not going to come across anything bad today Rude, so I have no concerns about participating in this investigation..." Tseng replied firmly, reassuring himself as much as anyone else. The redhead had indeed been gone for a little over five hours now. That called for a full scale search, with the first targets to be questioned being members of any rebellion groups actively targetting the Turks. As well as this, it was crucial to ensure that whatever business that the captors held with the Turks, they remained unaware of their highest priority company secrets.

_...What the hell's wrong with you Reno?..._

--

"I'm fine Zack..." Cloud sighed for what felt like the hundredth time that day.

"But Cloooud!"

"I'm _fine_ Zack. Really... stop fawning over me like a mother hen..."

"Inborn instinct Cloudy-kins..." Zack fussed, fluffing the blonde's pillow and glomping him more often than not for the entire day. Cloud had returned from his examination, and had been told to rest up for the next four days. He was then to report back to the professor and they would monitor his progress. Cloud was feeling particularly sulky, if not for the fact that he was still yet to spend any time with the General. The blonde had a feeling that that might be the basis of Zack's guilt, rather than the obsession over Cloud's health.

"Zack, you really don't have to worry..."

"I'm the one that hurt you, blondie. I gotta make sure you're back in tip top shape!"

"No, Zack..." Cloud sighed, "I'll be able to see him when he gets back, right?"

Cloud held back a laugh at the 'deer caught in headlights' expression creeping across Zack's face.

"Too obvious?" Zack shrugged, and the blonde nodded.

"Yeah, I guess..." Cloud smiled, "How bout you go do some squats or something at the hall? I'll just sleep for a little while. Is that alright?"

The Lieutenant seemed to think on this for sometime, before nodding.

"Yup. Sounds like a plan. I guess I need to get out of your hair, hey?" Zack shrugged a little sheepishly, guilty expression still sticking.

Cloud loved Zack. He was the big brother that the blonde had never had the chance to bond with, and in all the time he had known the usually bubbly Lieutenant, there was only two expressions that he didn't like showing across the gentle face. Guilt was one, and sadness was the other. Cloud let out a soft sigh and shook his head slightly.

"No, you don't... How about we watch t.v or something?" The blonde suggested, and Zack had plopped himself down beside Cloud in a heartbeat.

"I didn't feel much like squats today anyway..." Zack grinned, as he pulled the unwilling blonde to sit on his lap in a cuddling notion and threw a blanket over the top of them. Cloud could do little more than sit and sulk as the Lieutenant flicked through the television channels until he found an old movie. Once he did, Zack turned to lay across the couch and pulled Cloud with him.

"Zack, you're a pain in the ass..." Cloud scowled, and he felt Zack's laughter reverberate through his chest and into Cloud's back.

"You're like a giant chocobo plushie or something. I had one when I was a kid..." Zack mused, "I wonder what happened to Speedy..."

"Speedy?"

"Yeah, that was it's name."

"Real original..." Cloud teased, as Zack poked him in the ribs, earning a squeal.

"You really are spending too much time with Sephiroth..." Zack teased, as the blonde swatted at the Lieutenant's poking hands.

"I'm spending barely _any _time with Sephiroth..." Cloud protested, "If he's not out working or something, he's damn near interrogating Professor Mitchells..."

Zack let out a soft sigh and lounged casually, his thoughts focusing on the blonde's concerns. The world was going topsy turvy, he knew that much. Sephiroth was actually committing himself to the work he would be assigned by Shinra and God knows who, Hojo was no longer on the scene but had a creepy replacement to do all his unsettling for him, and Zack himself had lashed out and attacked his best friend with very little provocation and reason at all. The Lieutenant sat up once again, allowing the blonde to remain lying down. Cloud looked up at him from his position on the couch with something akin to confusion, and Zack smiled widely.

"D'ya mind if I like... Go and do some work in my room or something?" Zack grinned, and Cloud shrugged slightly, smiling softly.

"At least that will keep Sephiroth happy..." Cloud replied, as Zack nodded and headed for his room. He knew what he was after, and it had been such a long time since he'd felt the desire to see it that he almost forgot where it was. He knocked softly on the panelling under his bed however, and found the hollow space he'd made, before pulling a silver plated box out and placing it on the bed covers. He remembered Sephiroth's reaction to Zack keeping something like this and smiled slightly.

_"I can't fathom the idea as to why you choose to keep things of such little value..." Sephiroth had remarked, and Zack sighed._

_"It's got nothing to do with money, Seph..." Zack shrugged, "It's the value of what's in here..."_

_Zack then cheesily placed a hand over his chest and sighed dramatically, as Sephiroth rolled his eyes and left the room._

The Lieutenant was stunned at how far Sephiroth had come from then. He knew, even though he possibly shouldn't, that Sephiroth kept a small polaroid picture of Cloud in his coat pocket. He'd managed to take it from the blonde's record, and the only reason Zack knew that it existed was because he had raided the General's pockets whilst he was sleeping in search for a confiscated cap gun.

_...Maybe old silver finally is finally getting the meaning of sentiment..._

Zack pried open the lid of the box and his smile grew slightly wider. It was a box of photographs, ideally, with a pile of them that Zack didn't feel the desire to lock away in an album. There were a few other little bits and pieces in there too... The claw of a Vlakorados that he'd killed as a third class, a ruby shard from the mythril mines that he'd never be letting go of... and a small white stone that Zack had found pretty but never understood the purpose of. All of those items were unique to Zack and his own memories, but it was the photos that brought back the most. Zack snorted quietly to himself as he pulled out a photograph that he'd managed to steal off of Cloud. It was of the blonde's first day as a Shinra recruit. On the back, Zack had teasingly scrawled 'Aw babyface!' as the blonde had protested furiously. It was too late though, because Cloud had already promised the Lieutenant that he could keep that particular photo.

"That doesn't look like work to me..." A voice mused from the doorway, and Zack raised his eye to the blonde as Cloud gave him a skeptical look.

"Oh, don't give me that Spikey..." Zack teased, "You were a babyface and you know it."

"What's with the photos?" The blonde asked curiously, as he moved to sit opposite Zack on the Lieutenant's.

"It's like... a memory box?" Zack shrugged, feeling a little embarrassed at yet someone else finding it. Cloud seemed unphased however, as he picked up a pile of photos.

"I don't even remember seeing half of these..." Cloud smiled, as he showed a picture to the First Class. Zack grinned as he took in a rather disgruntled looking Sephiroth in a standard issue Shinra outfit, several Third Class SOLDIERs standing by his side and staring in something akin to both awe and disbelief.

"He doesn't look impressed..." Cloud remarked in amusement.

"He hates those uniforms. He used to get teased a fair bit by Angeal and I over the fact that he was a leather buff..." Zack snorted, and Cloud smiled softly, before picking up another photo.

"Is this Angeal?" Cloud asked, and Zack nodded, as his smile softened at the image.

"Grumpy old bastard he was half the time..." Zack sighed, "The auburn haired guy next to him is Genesis, and of course you know who the third one is..."

"They all look so young."

"They were. But they became men before their times..." Zack shrugged slightly, placing the photograph back in the box face down. Cloud didn't let the gesture go un-noticed and he wondered if the Lieutenant would ever tell him about the mentor that had once meant so much to him. Cloud brushed it away for the moment however and picked up the next photograph. His eyes widened slightly as he swatted the Lieutenant.

"Asshole! When did you take this?!" Cloud scowled, as Zack grinned deviously. The blonde looked down at the photo again, the back of both he and the General filling much of the frame. If Cloud's eyes hadn't been as sharp as they were, he would have missed the pair's fingers lightly intertwined out of sight from the people around them. Zack had caught on straight away, obviously, and snapped the picture without either of its occupants realising.

"We were at the chocobo ranch, and I just thought it was sooo cute..." Zack teased, as Cloud scowl increased its intensity.

"You need a boyfriend..." The blonde sighed, and Zack wiggled his eyebrows.

"Not at all. I have a significant other..." Zack winked, as the blonde gaped.

_...Bullshit..._

"What?"

"I have a _girlfriend_..." Zack said matter-of-factly, "And I don't feel much like keeping it a secret anymore."

"I didn't think that you really _went_ for gi-"

"You kidding? I go for anything..." Zack laughed, "You'd be surprised how easily things fall into place when there's no preference over gender..."

Cloud sat back in a kind of stunned silence, as the Lieutenant blushed slightly, before shrugging it off.

"It's kind of a new thing, you know? I didn't really plan on it or anything... I _am_ more of a guy's guy, and I mean, we're not really official and all... I just know that she likes me and Gaia Cloud, I really like her..." Zack grinned sheepishly, and the blonde giggled slightly.

"Look at you, you lovesick puppy..." Cloud teased, and the Lieutenant rolled his eyes.

"Do you have a picture?" the blonde asked, but Zack shook his head.

"Not yet. But you should meet her sometime soon. I have a feeling you'll get along really well..." Zack grinned eagerly, and Cloud didn't think he would have been able to say no even if he could.

"Alright, I will."

"Great! Now how about an early dinner at the cafeteria?"

"Sephiroth said that we should-"

"Come on, you're with me. We'll be back long before he is."

Cloud couldn't stop the sinking feeling in his stomach as the Lieutenant took him by the wrist and lead him out the door.

--

_...Gaia... this is hell..._

"...which is why it is my sincere belief that the program is deserving of charitable donations on behalf of Shinra..." Reeve finally concluded, smiling shakily at the board. Sephiroth offered no smile in return. He was not intending to be intimidating, but his mind had been elsewhere for the entire length of that meeting.

"What do you think, General?" Reeve smiled again, and Sephiroth straightened his posture as best as he could.

"I think that you would have a higher chance of success of pulling chocobo's teeth than pulling that kind of money from the president's pocket..."

"Surely you don't _mean-"_

"I apologise Tuetsi, but that is exactly what I meant..." Sephiroth interjected, as several others at the table nodded in agreeance.

"The last four times the president has donated any amount has been to the war funds though!" Reeve cried, "Surely he would understand that there are people out there who will really appreciate the thought. The only reason that a person could turn that down is if he knows that they-"

"Aren't going to offer him anything in return for it?" A voice remarked drily, as all attention moved to the door, "You think that he wouldn't? Don't be ridiculous..."

Sephiroth resisted the urge to let out a small smirk and instead chose to see how this particular circumstance would unfold.

"Reeve, Reeve, Reeve... the president seeks nothing but profitable donation... He won't donate to a cause that offers him nothing in return..." Rufus remarked as he stood in the doorway.

"V-vice President!" Reeve stammered slightly, "I didn't realise that..."

"You have nothing to be flustered about, Reeve. This meeting doesn't concern me in the slightest, so I have no need to purposefully involve myself..." Rufus waved airily, "I merely require the General..."

"O-of course sir!" Reeve nodded, as Sephiroth stood and nodded in the Vice President's direction. The other board members simply nodded their goodbye, as Reeve continued to stand in a stunned silence.

"Good luck Reeve..." Sephiroth said quietly, before he slipped silently from the conference room.

"He's a blubbering fool at times. Gaia help us if he ends up as president..." Rufus smirked as soon as they had left the vicinity.

"He has different methods to your father and yourself, but he is still a well suited candidate."

"I'll have to take your word for it, I suppose. General..." Rufus flicked piercing blue eyes to Sephiroth, and smiled slightly.

"Yes sir?"

"We want you to put on a little charm and be seen by your men a little more today..." Rufus said, a hint of amusement licking at his voice, "As the fears of a mass desertion are running rampant... You know what happened last time, so we expect you know the severity of the situation rather well..."

"Desertion?"

"Rumours are that Reno has left the company and is now classed as a security breach. He had better hope that the Commander finds him first..." Rufus said lightly, a knowing smirk creeping across his lips.

"Why would that be?" Sephiroth said cautiously, and Rufus picked up on it instantaneously.

"I should have known you would have found out. The pair of you are close despite your differences, or so my father loves to boast..." Rufus snorted slightly, "So proud he is at having two major fighting forces within such close boundaries of eachother. Idiot..."

"May I ask why the Commander would be better suited at finding him?" Sephiroth asked skeptically, "What would happen if Reno were to be injured or worse?"

"To put it this way, General, if Reno were _not_ injured or worse, some of his fellow Turks may very well have the urge to change that."

Sephiroth faltered in his stride momentarily, as Rufus threw him another amused smirk over his shoulder.

"When you are flanked by them for a majority of your life, you learn so very much. About _everything_..." Rufus explained, "And suspected disloyalty to the company or Tseng himself would result in very ill blood. There are no more than three of them who know of Reno's relations with the Commander, and so would not realise that this rumour of desertion is absolute bullshit."

"You don't think he has deserted then?"

"I believe he got a fright, if anything. I've seen it happen to countless Turks. They'll come across something that challenges morality more than anything, and they'll consider leaving..." Rufus shrugged slightly, "But they always come back as loyal as ever. Either that, or they don't come back at all."

Sephiroth thought on it, and realised that seemed a likely system for Tseng to be operating. Not only Tseng, but the president himself. If Tseng _did_ find Reno first, there was no doubt in Sephiroth's mind that he'd be the only one who could offer any help to the redhead. Reno was a wayward spirit at times, but Tseng somehow managed to put the redhead in his place. Sephiroth's thoughts then strayed to his own bundle of disobedience at home and soured slightly.

_...I still have trouble grasping the reasons for his behaviour... Rebellion of his own kind, perhaps?_

"How is that Strife boy doing?" Rufus remarked, a piercing gaze focused solely on the General's.

_...He really does qualify as a Turk..._

"He is healing well. He's been told to stay at home with Lieutenant Fair and rest for as long as is required. I have recommended at least another two days..."

"Oh?" Rufus laughed lightly, "That's interesting..."

Sephiroth waited simply for the Vice President to continue as they opened the cafeteria doors. Rufus said nothing however, simply meeting Sephiroth's gaze, before turning it towards the dinner line. Both Cloud and Zack were standing in it, flanked by admiring cadets who had witnessed their fight. Sephiroth willed the annoyance to subside, even as Rufus' gaze met his once again. Much like his father and the Turks that were his near constant guard, Rufus Shinra was an individual who knew much about human emotion, how to read them, and how to play them for all they were worth. Sephiroth took this as the reason that the Vice President's current gaze was so unsettling.

"...Very interesting indeed... Anyway General, I must depart. Enjoy your day..." Rufus smirked, as he left Sephiroth standing by the door, already drawing many gazes towards him. Once a few knew he was there, it spread like wildfire, and shortly after, he had a majority of the cafeteria patrons watching him as he moved towards the dinner line.

"...But I'm telling you, the meatloaf has some kind of rat poison in it. Here, smell it..." Zack grinned, holding his plate up to Cloud's nose as the General approached the pair.

"Maybe it's Shinra's horrible budgeting system or maybe... oh shit..." Zack turned mid sentence and paling slightly upon seeing the General. Cloud followed the Lieutenant's gaze and faltered, before smiling sheepishly as Sephiroth fixated his gaze on the young blonde.

"Cloud..."

"...We were just getting hungry and then Zack suggested that we go to the caf-"

"Last time the Lieutenant suggested something, you were nearly killed."

That sentence appeared to have hit hard, as the blonde seized slightly and Zack cringed. The cafeteria had fallen silent, and it appeared as if all eyes and ears were focused in their direction.

_...This kind of environment won't work..._

"May I speak to you outside, SOLDIER?" Sephiroth said quietly, as Cloud nodded slowly and handed Zack his tray. Zack then made to say something, but Sephiroth merely shook his head.

"I shall speak to you later, Lieutenant..." He said stiffly, and Zack simply nodded.

Cloud made the first movement, heading for the door after Zack gently squeezed his shoulder and smiled widely. The blonde smiled softly in reply, and Sephiroth couldn't help but feel a little envious at the fact that Zack was so easily able to make Cloud happy. Lately, anytime Sephiroth had spoken to the blonde, it involved a lecture or a skeptical musing. Seemingly, this would be no different.

_... But why shouldn't it be?..._

It was a well known fact that Sephiroth still had control issues in regard to 'normal' human response and reactions, and yet Cloud had begun to teach him many things that he would come to need, of that he was certain.

The pair exited the cafteria and headed for the secluded area of the parade grounds, as the only sound made from either of the pair was the scuffing of Cloud's shoes on the asphalt. Sephiroth stopped when they reached the forested area of the compound, and when he thought that they were far out enough to not be seen regardless. Cloud stood before him, and held his gaze with the ground. The General hated the fact that the blonde had seemingly reverted to his belief that Sephiroth was intimidating, but was unsure of how to change that.

"Cloud... Why do you keep deliberately disobeying me?" Sephiroth asked softly, hoping that the gentler tone would drag the blonde's eyes up. It worked, as Cloud met Sephiroth's gaze, an overwhelming wave of feelings hiding within them.

"I just... I don't know..." Cloud replied flatly, as he toyed with the hem of his pants.

"You're not well, Cloud..."

"Well I _know_ that..." the blonde replied a little sharply, before averting his gaze back to the floor, "I'm just kind of sick of being cooped up all the time."

"I'm trying to the best of my abilities to ensure that you don't hurt yourself further."

"Maybe I'd be more inclined to stay at home if there was some kind of chance you'd be there..." Cloud retorted, his voice becoming more bitter with each time he spoke.

"I have been trying to assist Mitchells in finding out what is wrong with you... Seemingly that accounts for nothing..." Sephiroth replied a little icily, as the blonde glared up at him with full force.

_...Perhaps not the right thing to say..._

"So what, you couldn't even drop in or something for a visit?" Cloud hissed slightly, "Think about it. This is the first time you've spoken to me one on one since you got back."

Sephiroth _did_ think on it, and he felt a little confused by the thought.

_...He's right..._

But why was it that he'd been avoiding the blonde subconsciously? He certainly hadn't been doing it on purpose. Was it a childish response to Cloud not doing as he wished? Was it some kind of self enforced karma? He watched the blonde as Cloud continued to hold a fiery gaze, and he felt...

"I apologise..." Sephiroth said, as a flicker of confusion swept Cloud's face.

"You apologise?"

"Yes. You're right. For that, I apologise."

Cloud was watching him with that same look of fleeting confusion, and Sephiroth tried to find something to say that would effectively convey his point. The blonde let out a soft sigh and shook his head slightly.

"I don't know. Maybe I'm being a spoilt little shit. I _knew_ when I got into this that there wouldn't be much time... you know... for us?" Cloud shrugged slightly, seemingly uncomfortable, "But a part of me probably stuck with the hope that I might have meant enough for you to try and change that."

The blonde shrugged again and gave a quiet laugh to himself.

"See, I'm even doing it now. It's like I finally have the chance to talk to you and all I can do is bitch and comp-"

Sephiroth had seemingly found the most fitting way to tell Cloud what he had meant, and the irony was that he had used no words at all. The General took his chance to press his lips against Cloud's in a gesture the pair were both very much appreciative of.

"...Was that to shut me up?" Cloud smirked, and Sephiroth did the same, green eyes holding a firm gaze with the blue before him.

"No, but I may have to use it in future..."

"I'm really sorry..." the blonde murmured, his gaze turning away once again. Sephiroth felt a slight annoyance mingling with his confusion. Usually if Cloud was feeling particularly sulky or in bad spirits, an exchage of that sorts was enough to brighten up the blonde's face.

_...How am I expected to know how to deal with you if you never remain the same?_

"You continue to apologise?"

"I pissed you off because of all people I should be the one who listens to what you have to say..." Cloud explained, "I think..."

Sephiroth slid his hands up the blonde's shirt slightly, to rest at Cloud's hips. Cloud gave a nervous laugh of apparent surprise, and Sephiroth smirked against his hair.

"I am pleased you are feeling well enough to be disobedient..." The General said simply, "I think..."

"Well in my own defence I never really _meant _to-" Cloud replied.

"All is forgiven..."

Cloud shook his head slightly, as the familiar smell of mako and strength that Sephiroth emitted dizzying his head slightly.

_...I'm meant to be angry damn it..._

The blonde had known Sephiroth more intimately than many had, and there was a sense of pride accompanying that, yet it remained a difficult task to ever fully understand what kind of thought and emotion was flitting behind those masked eyes.

"You confuse me..." Cloud murmured, as the General pulled back slightly to smirk lazily at the blonde's statement. Cloud felt his breath catch at the devious glint in the General's usually stoic expression, and the suggestive little promise that lay within them.

"I still think we should get you home..." Sephiroth said coyly, as Cloud let out another small laugh. He wasn't sure what had gotten into Sephiroth, but at the moment he didn't really care.

--

"Sector Six is cleared."

"Seven?"

"We'd apprehended everyone, but nobody had higher than usual activity concerns..."

"Assosciates?"

"We've spoken to nine. None of them have heard or seen a thing. You know what he's like sir. If he doesn't want to be found, it's likely he won't be."

"I don't give a shit what he wants. We're going to find the little bastard."

"Yes sir."

"And try and get into contact with those hitmen."

"Yes sir."

"...Be safe."

With that, Tseng closed the cell phone without as much as waiting for Rude's response. Something about this particular incident was not sitting right with the Commander, and it had nothing to do with the fact that it was Reno that had gone missing.

_...Bullshit... it has __everything__ to do with that fact..._

Reno was more than a capable Turk. It was for this reason that he had been sent out being in charge of this particular mission. It was not one that would result in him being easily injured or killed, and that on its own left concern lingering in the Commander's mind.

Although Reno was cocky, unbearably so at times, he knew when to switch all of that off and focus whole-heartedly on a mission. He certainly was nothing short of a perfectionist in the level of care and caution he took when undergoing particular tasks, and was yet to suffer any further wounds than a few cuts, a bullet wound and a broken arm. For the amount of field time the redhead had undergone, that was a big achievement. Tseng's cellphone rang, interrupting his thoughts, as he pulled it from his pocket and took a quick glance at the number. Elena.

"Elena."

"Sir, I can't get into contact with those men you hired. Reno's not the only one out of range..."

_...shit..._

"Get me on to Lachlan."

"Yes sir."

here was a pause then, as Elena followed the necessary procedures to link Lachlan's cell with Tseng's own.

"Sir?"

"Lachlan. Sector Four..."

"Clear sir."

"Five?"

"Clear sir."

"What about the girl?"

"She's safe."

_...Gaia Reno..._

As Tseng hung up his cell phone once again, a single statement repeated in his mind.

_"Reno's not the only one out of range."_

Something about it was just

_...wrong..._

--

Zack had brought his knees up to his chest and was clutching a cushion as tightly as was possible as he sat on the couch and tried desperately not to let the guilt overwhelm him. Lately, it seemed that whatever he did had resulted in some kind of problem happening to Cloud or the blonde getting into more trouble than what was worth. Somewhere within him, the Lieutenant still tried to hold some blame on Sephiroth, but it did very little when he knew that it wasn't the General who had damn near killed his blonde friend.

"...Cloud..." Zack sighed softly, as he flicked on the television in the hopes for distraction. He couldn't supress the slightly giddy grin from creeping across his face as '_Kalm Capers' _came on.

_...Thank you tv, for killing my brain cells..._

As far as he could tell, Marissa and that slimeball Richard _had _taken off to Mideel for their eloping fest, but lo and behold, Stephanie and Lucian were now an item and everything was going well. Eric, in the meantime, had decided to do some eloping of his own with one of Stephanie's worst enemies, Patricia, and was soon to be the father of _her_ child, unbeknown to his poor unsuspecting daughter.

_...Funny how I've missed about sixteen episodes of this and still know what's going on..._

Zack absently reached for the phone then as it rang from the coffee table and silently cursed whoever was bothering him through soapie hour.

"Yello?" Zack chimed, before being met with a prolonged silence.

"...Hel-lowww?" Zack chimed again, as there was a small 'hmph' on the other end of the line. Zack listened carefully as he heard light traffic in the background and what appeared to be a cigarette lighter.

"Who's this?" Zack queried, before the line was silent once again for several moments.

"Hey Lieu, do me a favour would you?" A voice suddenly said.

"...Reno?"

As far as Zack was concerned, there was only one person who even attempted to get away with calling him Lieu, and it was the fiery Turk. If it really was Reno however, Zack was having trouble even recognising the voice. Reno's was usually full of life and arrogance, but the tone he had heard was nothing short of empty. There was a silence again, and Zack realised why.

"...Sure, I'll do you a favour..." The Lieutenant replied, and Reno 'hmphed' again.

"Thanks man..."

"Reno, what's up? They say that you've gone missing and that you've caused just about every Turk to go out trailing your ass..."

"Tell him I'm sorry, yo..."

"What? No red, you tell him when you get your ass back here..." Zack urged, before Reno chortled a little.

"Just do it Lieu. Take care yo..."

After that, the phone line went dead.

It took all of thirty seconds before the phone rang again, and Zack picked it up expectantly.

"Lieutenant."

"Commander..."

"You've had a phone call recently, have you not?"

"You keep a tight leash on your Turks, Tseng..."

"Obviously not tight enough..." the Commander let out a soft sigh, and Zack shook his head slightly.

_...What the hell is going on today?_

"He did call me. As far as I could tell, a light traffic area, but not that many people around. There was a fair bit of noise resonance from his own footsteps, so there mustn't have been too much else around him..."

"What did he say?"

"...He said he's sorry..." Zack said softly, as there was a considerably long pause at the other end of the line.

"Hey Tseng, can't you have traced the call?" Zack queried, but Tseng let out a short burst of bitter laughter.

"Little bastard made sure to keep the phone call under thirty seconds. He's not stupid..."

"Then why would he call me?" Zack mused, and Tseng let out another sigh. Zack couldn't imagine the pressure currently placed on Tseng's shoulders with his obligations of Turk Commander to hunt and kill, and his will as Reno's 'other half' to merely slap some sense into the redhead.

"Why would he call you?" Tseng repeated, before pausing once again, "...Perhaps he potentially _wants_ to be found..."

"After going through such an effort?"

"Maybe he needs to know that people still care enough to keep looking..." Tseng said softly, "Because at times you have to run to simply see who follows..."

"Tseng..." Zack said tentatively, "Are you alright?"

"...I'm fine. I'll contact you when I've found him."

"How can you be so su-"

"I'll find him."

Zack made to protest the issues of Tseng getting involved, but found himself met with a dial tone.

"Son of a bitch, Reno..." Zack sighed, before falling back onto the couch and turning his gaze back to the television. Suddenly, '_Kalm Capers'_ didn't seem so important anymore.

--

The redhead leant casually against the bus shelter, pulling a cigarette from his breast pocket and raising it to his lips. His still bloodied fingers trembled slightly as he brought the flame of his lighter to meet the tobacco stick he cradled. It wouldn't be much longer, he was sure of that, but the wait was nerve racking, and only drew his thoughts closer to that which he was trying to avoid. His cell phone vibrated again in his pants pocket, and he closed his eyes willing silently that she would give up. It was a given that it was Elena's job to track and monitor every Turk's whereabouts, but she was never able to tell when someone didn't _want_ to be found... There was no point in attempting to hide from the Turks, and he had already grown tired of running. He looked at his watch, and a flicker of a smirk crossed his lips. Six hours they would have been looking, and Reno had still not been found. It was a Turk record. He considered letting one of the girls catch him. Someone like Michela or Natalie, who had been trying their hardest for a promotion, but had been overlooked because of their sex. Reno felt for them, because he was possibly the only one who ever paid attention to the absolute effort they put in. No, that wasn't right, Tseng did. Tseng saw everything, Tseng _knew _everything, and when Reno felt the cool barrel of a revolver press against his scalp, he couldn't help but smile at the fact that his whereabouts was no exception to that rule.

"They're right... you're like a fucking ghost..." the redhead drawled, as the barrel was removed.

"You're late..." Tseng said softly, and the redhead cursed the eyes boring into the side of his face, as the Commander moved to stand before the younger Turk.

"Took a detour..." Reno shrugged, drawing a long puff from the cigarette perched precariously between thin lips. Tseng pursed his lips disapprovingly, but said nothing on the renewed smoking habit.

"For six hours?" Tseng asked critically, raising an eyebrow.

"A long detour..."

"What happened on that mission?"

Reno's fingers clamped tightly, snapping the cigarette in his fingers as he did so.

_...How? How does he know?..._

Reno gaped slightly in mild surprise, before it all came flooding back to him in a wave of smells, sights and redhead slid slowly to the ground in defeat, burying his head into his knees, as his arms wrapped protectively around himself. Tseng knelt beside him, a gentle hand resting atop his head almost instantly.

_...Don't make me Tseng, please..._

"You weren't going to come back, were you?" The Commander asked, the redhead's eyes burning, as the air around him seemed to become thicker.

"No..."

"What happened on that mission?" Tseng repeated, the redhead clutching tighter at his legs.

"You don't want to tell me, I know..." Tseng said gently, "But please don't make me force it from you. I'll have to if you don't..."

Reno lifted his head from the cocoon of his knees and locked eyes with the Commander, who showed no signs of anger or disappointment, or...

_...anything at all..._

It was a Turk procedure. Whatever emotion Tseng was feeling was a big one, because he'd put in the extra effort to lock it flawlessly away behind a blank expression and dead-pan eyes. Reno nodded slightly, as the recent events continually swirled in his mind, his eyes straying to his red stained shoes, and the remnants of ash and blood on his neatly ironed pants.

"Fuck... We fucked up... we fucked up so bad..." Reno choked, as the Commander waited patiently for the rest of the story.

_The building was dimly lit, and Reno took care to not even resonate a footprint as he climbed the staircase. The two hitmen that had accepted Tseng's offer for a quick assasination had entered the room first, bursting the door down, before they found it vacant. There was, however, a video camera positioned on the opposite wall above the windows. Reno, knowing what was coming, reached for the hitmen to pull them down, as he hit the deck. They'd moved out of reach in their naievety, and had been hit by the hail of bullets flying through the window. As the bullets continued to rain, he heard high pitched cries of pain coming from the room adjoining the one he was in. Reno sat underneath the windowsill, as the hired thugs bled to death on the floor before him, waiting for the gunfire to cease, as he slid across the floor towards the door leading to the cries. He'd stood and slipped inside, finding nothing short of a massacre within. Civilians, held captive by the terrorist group they were aiming to bring under control today, were lying slain on the floor, the main victims being women and children. A pair of deep brown eyes met his, as he scanned the room, the life fading from them as he watched. A child, no older than seven, clung to his mother's hands as the bullet wounds in his chest seeped blood to the floor. His eyes were beautiful, so full of life, energy, and a piercing inquisitory gaze. But even as Reno took this in, it was all fading in the boy's death. Twenty five in all were crammed into that room, and slain as soon as the team had shown up. It was essentially their own fault. The information they had received had not been reliable enough, and they had leapt blindly into something they were not aware of, twenty five lives gone because of it._

"...Those eyes... those fucking eyes... and fuck me... Makes me think what the fuck are we doing, Tseng? What the fuck is it all for? We could die at any time, you know? And for what? To get more people killed in the process? To put everyone else's lives at risk? For _what_?!" Reno spat, his eyes glossing over, apparently on the verge of tears. Tseng personally felt the agony of his Turk in the pained expression and tear pooled eyes. To see such raw hurt and confusion in the usually over-confident redhead was a rarity on its own. Tseng shook his head slightly as he sat beside the redhead and pulled the shaking Turk into his arms, resting his chin upon the blood matted hair.

"It's what makes you a good Turk... to think of that..." Tseng said softly.

"Is there such a thing... as a _good_ Turk?" Reno murmured into the Commander's jacket, his fingers clutching tightly onto the coat, staining the material red. It didn't matter however. It was not the first suit to be drycleaned by the Commander in his attempts to wash away sin

"Of course... A good Turk is someone who gets themselves into this job from a dark past, in the hopes of making themselves a bright future. Then, when they realise that not everything is sun and rainbows, they question it. They realise that some of the things we do is wrong. They then either choose to leave, or to stay for the good things that we do. There _are_ good things that we do Reno..." Tseng murmured, one hand lacing through the red locks, and the other running soothing patterns along the redheads back as he continued to tremble in his arms.

"Did you... Did you ever want to leave?" Reno asked quietly after several moments, as Tseng placed a gentle kiss atop the matted hair before him.

"Naturally. That's the human side of everyone..."

Reno clutched tighter, as his breaths came out a little more raggedly, in what were apparently dry sobs.

"Shhh..." Tseng soothed gently, as he rocked the redhead slightly in his arms. Reno raised a flushed face to meet Tseng's and shook his head.

"This is bullshit..."

"Not all of it. I think of that which I am able to appreciate..."

"How do you find shit like that?"

"Usually he bursts through my door and hassles me for food, or I find him on some street corner somewhere with a death stick in his mouth..." Tseng teased, and Reno snorted lightly.

"Asshole..."

"Possibly. But it's why I'm here now..." Tseng said softly, as Reno lowered his head once again to rest against the Commander's chest.

"How the hell do you put up with my shit?"

"I tend to have feelings beyond annoyance for you at times..."

Tseng then smirked slightly as he heard approaching footsteps, but for once he wasn't all that fussed to be seen with Reno in his arms.

"Michela..." The commander said softly, as he raised his eyes to meet the young Turk's. She smiled softly and nodded, as the redhead's eyes widened in panic. He tried to move from the Commander's arms, but Tseng held him there firmly.

"Should I inform Elena to call the others back, sir?" Michela asked flatly, as Tseng nodded, placing a kiss against Reno's forehead.

"Let her know that I'm also relieving Reno of duty for the next two days..."

"Yes sir."

"Call Lieutenant Fair also."

"Yes sir."

"And Michela?" Tseng queried, and she simply held his gaze, "Thank you..."

"I understand, sir."

She turned on her heel and disappeared the same way she had arrived - quietly into the shadows, as Reno eased into Tseng's embrace once again.

Reno breathed deeply with both a sense of relief, the familiar smell of spice and coffee that was Tseng invading his nostrils and filling him with a sense of calm, and it was only then that he noticed he was not the only one trembling.

"Tseng..."

"Yes?"

"You're shaking..."

"Am I?" He asked, apparently in mild amusement.

"Yeah."

The Commander lifted the redhead's face so that he could catch his gaze and smiled slightly.

"You scared the shit out of me, you little bastard..."

"I'm sorry, yo..."

"Don't be stupid... These things happen, and I can almost guarantee that the same thing will happen to you someday. You'll have no idea where I am, and be ready to just about kill me if I'm not dead already..."

"You thought..."

"I am irrational at times, Reno..." Tseng smiled against the redhead's hair, and Reno returned the favour. They'd probably been drawn into entirely the wrong careers and lifestyles, but the redhead found some comfort in the fact that he didn't have to go through it alone anymore.

--

**A/N:** I'm sorry! :(


	14. Warcry

Updated? *gasp*...Yeah... xD

Would have been updated yesterday, but FF had that god damned glitch. -_-

OHHHHH, I simply _had_ to slip Damien into Training too. I just love him too much. xD

By the way... only a few chapters left now... ;D

Read and Review please?

**Warnings: See previous chapters**

_Training Chapter 13_

_Sephiroth is raising some small concerns with his 'new lease on life', but soon finds some concerns of his own. Cloud is enjoying fitting into a group, but soon has his mood quashed a little when Sephiroth pulls him away after lunch and drops a bombshell. _

Something about this chapter... I know I say it all the time, but really... something's not right. lol.

--

Sephiroth smirked slightly as he felt a familiar pair of lips smiling against his bare chest. The General didn't want to move in case the blonde then caught on to him being awake, but he soon grew bored and with the blonde's weight on his arm, uncomfortable.

"What are you so happy about?" Sephiroth asked lightly, as he felt the muscles under his fingers tense slightly.

"You're awake?" The blonde murmured in response, and Sephiroth raised an eyebrow, choosing to remain silent.

"Dumb question?" Cloud smiled sheepishly, as he raised his face to meet Sephiroth's gaze. The General simply smirked, leaning in and lightly pressing his lips against Cloud's, finding great pleasure in the pliant and welcoming kiss that the blonde rewarded him back with.

"Excuse the morning breath," Sephiroth remarked as he pulled back and wrapped his arms a little tighter around the blonde's torso. Cloud laughed a little in response and nuzzled against the skin before him. Ever since Sephiroth had visited Nibelheim and met Cloud's mother, there was little more that the General could do than start to appreciate every action that Cloud had to offer. The same thought stuck in his mind that Mark, a travelling companion of sorts, had taught Eleanor more about his life than Sephiroth had ever cared to learn. Sephiroth couldn't help but wonder what small things in the world contributed to the bigger picture.

"Do you like roses, Cloud?" The General asked lightly, as Cloud smiled against his chest once again.

"I guess so. They remind me of home. My mum has a garden of them. Did you see? She lives in the second house on the right if you stand in the town circle," Cloud explained, and Sephiroth made a soft 'mhmm'.

"What was it like there?" Cloud asked, "In Nibelheim, I mean. Was it the same as it's always been?"

"Dull, quiet, the whole town seemingly came to greet us, and we were most likely the biggest news to hit such a place in a long time."

"Some things never change," Cloud said softly, "Strange, isn't it? You can spend years away from your hometown, hate it, wish that you'd never been born there, hate everything it did to you as a person..."

Cloud then paused for a few moments, and the General began to worry slightly.

"Yet, someone can mention it a long time later, and you can still feel a little sense of pride," Cloud laughed a little solemnly, "If only for the damn rose garden that your mum decided to start growing one day."

Sephiroth took Cloud's chin in his palm and lifted the blonde's face.

"What happened to make you resent that place so much?" The General asked, as the blonde tried to avert his gaze, "Cloud."

Sephiroth managed to inflict enough authority in the last word to make Cloud's gaze hold this time, as the blonde shook his head.

"I just hated it. You know, average bullying problem that kids go through from time to time. You're either a giver or a receiver, and I was a receiver," The blonde shrugged, "Human punching bag, you could even say."

"You're capable of defence Cloud, what went wrong?"

"That's the thing actually. I wasn't. I wasn't much at all until I came here and changed all that angsty teenage anger into concentration and practiced beating the shit out of things, you know?" Cloud laughed lightly, and the General smirked.

_...I do know, Cloud. I know it all too well..._

Although the blonde was seemingly quite content in that moment, Sephiroth's enhanced senses could tell that Cloud still harboured far too much hurt for the General's liking when it came to Nibelheim. Somewhere in the back of his mind, a part of him stored that hurt, and promised that the town would one day pay for the ache that continued to resonate throughout the blonde's body.

"I have training today..." The blonde murmured somewhat regretfully.

"I have a meeting."

"Another one? It seems to be all you do. God forbid anyone find out how incredibly dull you are," Cloud teased playfully, as the General pulled back slightly to meet his gaze. Cloud continued to grin sheepishly, even as Sephiroth began to smirk.

"You're a little scary right now..." Cloud snorted, trying to bury his face away from Sephiroth's devilish gaze, before the General took him by the chin and lifted his face. Sephiroth then leant in and lightly toyed his lips against Cloud's once again, as the blonde let out a reluctant groan.

"Noooo, I have to go," Cloud laughed giddishly, before rolling over and dragging himself out of bed. Sephiroth couldn't help but take the opportunity to let his eyes rake over the lithe form of the naked blonde, and Cloud was quick to notice, blushing a deep shade of red.

"You've been acting differently since you got back," Cloud said softly, "Anything you want to talk about?"

"Everything," Sephiroth replied bluntly, and the blonde seemed momentarily stunned.

"Uh, sure," Cloud smiled slightly, as he started hastily pulling on his clothes, "But maybe after I get back from training. Luschov is going to bite me in the ass if I'm late again."

"I'll take you."

"_Shinra_ will bite _you _in the ass if you're late..." Cloud sighed, "But..."

The blonde hesitated for a few moments, before heading over to the General's side of the bed, and stooping down to kiss him lightly. He then pulled back hurriedly and blushed, as if the action had surprised even himself.

"I'm sorry. I was a little shit, and I mean, you told me not to do that kind of stuff and I wound up getting hurt, and then I really had no one else to blame but myself, so as a stupid alternative, I decided to try and take it all out on you and I think that maybe-"

"You're rambling."

The blonde took a deep breath and smiled awkwardly.

"I am, hey?"

"We were... both at fault..." Sephiroth replied slowly, and knew that he'd said the right thing when Cloud grinned and kissed him lightly again, before stooping and picking up his backpack.

"We'll talk more later then, yes?"

"Yes."

"See ya."

"Take care Cloud..." Sephiroth said quietly, as the blonde nodded, smile increasing, as he headed out the door.

--

"Come onnnn!"

"Whining will get you nowhere..."

"But I really want some..."

"You shouldn't have gotten rid of the last batch then. Patience is a virtue and if you are willing to wait for a few more da-"

"Patience is a load of shit, yo! You told us back in our training days that you have to take the moment as it presents itself."

"Which is how you got into your whiny, sulky, bitchy mode anyway..." Tseng scowled, as Reno leant on the Wutaian's kitchen counter and continued his plea for apples. The redhead _knew _that Tseng kept a batch of those apples stashed away somewhere, but due to the Commander's exceptional skill as a Turk at hiding things, he was yet to locate them. It was a fact that Tseng was now relishing in as he stirred his coffee.

"They're really good, ya know?" Reno sulked slightly, as Tseng found amusement in the rarely seen side of the usually cocky redhead.

"I know, which is why I'm keeping some for me," Tseng smirked, turning to the fridge to put back the milk. He tensed slightly, as the redhead's arms slipped around him from behind, his hot breath on the Commander's ear. The Commander felt a small flare of desire as Reno's hands tugged Tseng's shirt from his pants and ran smooth fingers over the now accessible stomach. Tseng placed both of his hands over the redhead's and smirked to himself, as he pulled the wandering hands to rest above fabric once again.

"You're no fun," Reno murmured, and Tseng held back a slight snort as the redhead's teeth nibbled slightly at his earlobe.

Unlike Reno, another thing that Tseng held as an exceptional skill was his amount of composure and restraint. Now was not the time, in Tseng's eyes, for a sexual encounter of any kind. With that, the Commander pried the Turk's fingers from where they were once again trying to sneak under his shirt, and slipped from his hold.

The redhead let out a frustrated sigh, and Tseng 'tsk'ed a little.

"Seems like you're fit for work afterall..." The Commander remarked lightly.

"Really?" Reno asked eagerly, and Tseng turned to face him with a teasing smirk.

"No."

"You're an asshole."

"I'll be back in a few hours. Don't break anything."

"I'm not making promises."

Tseng leant in and swiftly captured the redhead's lips with his own, his teeth lightly biting, before the redhead's tongue swept out in an attempt at deepening their exchange. Tseng met it for only a moment, before pulling back and heading for the door.

"Don't break anything," He repeated, as Reno sent him a death glare. The Commander closed the door behind him and smiled affectionately at the redhead's following whine.

"Asshole!"

--

Sephiroth was never one for meetings, and in all his own honesty, would much rather have taken Cloud to his training sessions than to be where he was presently.

"We're thinking of sending you to North Corel, near the reactor there."

"Corel?" The General said with mild confusion.

"There's a little citizen unrest due to an increase in monster populations. We can only presume it's from a malfunctioning reactor, and as you can imagine, the townspeople are already rather untrusting of the corporation."

"Then why should they react any differently to me?"

"They look to you as a hero amongst the monsters, so to speak..." Shinra sneered, reclining in his chair casually, as he handed a briefing to the General.

"Those that don't fear you are likely to idolise you. It's a win win situation, Sephiroth," Shinra added, unwrapping a cigar and lighting it with a practiced ease.

Sephiroth frowned slightly, as he briefly scoured the details. Not only was the mission departure date only four days away, but the various risk factors were high and potentially deadly. As well as that, there was the added evaluations of Mitchells at the bottom of the page expressing explicitly that Sephiroth should not be attending the mission. It was a seldom occurrence that any of Shinra's scientists were _not_ jumping at the chance to have Sephiroth pushed to the limits. Sephiroth raised his eyes to see Shinra looking on nonchalantly, seemingly thoughtful in his observations.

"Mitchells in particular is at times delirious in his concerns for you, General," the president said flatly, apparently anticipating Sephiroth's concerns regarding the matter.

"It's been some time since I've seen a mission with such a high risk factor, president. Not only are the monsters said to be enhanced both naturally and by exposure to mako, the reactor has been reported as highly unstable," Sephiroth scowled slightly, "So much so that the workers have been unable to enter because of the poisons risk."

"It's exactly why we're sending you, General. You have the highest known mako tolerance on the planet, and so it is to be expected that you are at low risk of suffering from illness in relation to exposure. Besides all this, you have adequate back-up," Shinra reassured, "As I'm sure you'll find in the mission briefing."

Sephiroth read over the details and resisted the urge to scoff at what the president had determined 'adequate'. Sephiroth was to be accompanied by four Turks, two of his first class men, and subject to discussion, Tseng. Perhaps if Tseng were to come, the back-up could come close to being deemed adequate, but Sephiroth had learned from experience that unless it was vital for the Commander to attend, he often turned such opportunities down in favour of remaining on base and working from there. Several months ago, Sephiroth would have immediately accepted the offer without a second thought, when his only purpose in life was to suit Shinra's every need, and if needed, die for the company.

_...Now however..._

Shinra must have taken due notice of Sephiroth's hesitation and softly let out a small sigh.

"Need I remind you of the Wutaiain incident, General?" Shinra said flatly, "You're well aware of the consequences of hesitation in these matters..."

Sephiroth tensed slightly, the memories of the cloud of insanity shrouding his own men, as masamune was forced to end their suffering, the faces of his family men gaping in a final act of stunned surprise... Many lives were lost that day, and it was a crime that Sephiroth held himself responsible for, due to his disregard of the severity of the situation, and his reluctance to leave during third class trials. Sephiroth held Shinra's gaze for an extended moment, as the president boldly returned it. The General nodded stiffly then as he turned to leave, his will caving in to the blood on his hands that he'd never succeeded in washing clean.

"General?" Shinra said lightly, before Sephiroth had had the chance to leave.

"Yes sir?"

"There's just _one_ more thing I thought it would be necessary for you to know..."

As Sephiroth paused and listened to all that the president had to say, he could only wish that he had left that office earlier.

--

Cloud chewed his food, smirking slightly as he listened to the cafeteria table's gossip. Drill Sergeant Luschov had seemingly been in a less than deadly mood this morning, and had allowed the second class SOLDIERs go to lunch an entire hour early. This meant that they were able to share a meal with their first class companions, something that was a rare occurrence due to time schedules. First class' started training earlier than second class, and so they ate earlier. It was with that small change in schedule that Cloud was able to indulge in listening to group gossip about the man he had only hours ago crawled out of bed from.

"The Sephiroth fan club says he's 'bedded' over a hundred girls this year _alone_," Clinton Marsh, a first class rookie whined, "How do you think he gets so many babes?"

"I don't give a shit, I wanna know why he doesn't go for guys!" One of the first class Lieutenant's whined, "I would tap that in a second."

"I doubt he'd go near you with a ten foot pole, Damien," Clinton snorted, "And I'd be thinking he'd be tapping you wouldn't he?"

"Either way, there'd be enough tapping to make a plumbing store," Damien smiled deviously, as Clinton made a gagging motion. A few of the others laughed, before a comfortable silence followed, everyone taking a moment to chow down. Cloud was very familiar with Damien, considering the First Class ranked equally with none other than Zack and so had a habit of showing up unannounced at their apartment. As far as Cloud could tell, the pair got along very well, but imagined that Damien probably came on too strong for Zack at times.

"You know what would be hot?" one of Clinton's friends piped up, a second class whose name escaped Cloud, "The General and Commander of the Turks."

"Tseng? The slinky little cheetah of Shinra?" Damien gaped slightly, as if fantasising, "Good Gaia, it doesn't matter how many times he changes those spots, he is still a sex kitten."

"Damn queers!" Clinton whined, "I'm trying to eat my God damned food!"

"Surely even homophobes such as yourself could appreciate the images _that _pair brings," Damien sighed, "I mean, they are both mighty fine pieces of-"

"How about Tseng and Reno?" Cloud interjected, mildly uncomfortable at hearing Sephiroth spoken about in such a manner. The blonde snorted then as he picked at his fries, the table's attention shifted solely to him.

"Oh Gaia... the cheetah with the fox?" Damien let out a low whistle, "Shiva kid, your imagination is probably better than porn."

A majority of the table laughed as Cloud did, although the blonde expected for entirely different reasons to his own.

_...They never even consider it as a possibility... Dumb asses..._

"Ooh! Ooh!" Damien gasped, apparently brimming with a scandalous idea, "It's all a given that he might go for a first, but what about Sephiroth with a lesser known? Like a cadet or a barely legal third or second?"

There was a chorus of 'Mmmm's around the table, as Cloud spluttered on the piece of brocolli he'd attempted to eat. Clinton noticed and gave him a pat on the back.

"You right there kiddo?"

"He probably had a fanboy fantasy for a sec," Damien teased, "And Gaia, come to think of it, what a pair they'd make..."

"Careful Damo, Zack will kick your ass if he hears you talking like that..." Clinton warned, and the Lieutenant gaped, before zoning out momentarily.

"Oh Gawd, don't get my hopes up, I had mental flashes of Zack and Sephiroth in the one hit..." Damien whined, as the table burst into laughter. It stopped abruptly however, and it didn't take Cloud long to realise why. A long leather coat appeared across from him at the table, directly in his line of vision and Cloud was vaguely aware of Damien's mouth dropping open and his skin paling significantly. Cloud saluted automatically as his gaze met Sephiroth's, his mouth full of roast potato and gravy. A flicker of amusement ghosted Sephiroth's eyes, before dissipating quickly as he said a soft 'At ease'.

"Good Afternoon General," Clinton said boldly, as the General turned his eyes to the First Class'.

"Good Afternoon. I trust you're enjoying your meal Clinton?"

"Yes thank you, sir."

"Good," He nodded politely, before turning his attention back to Cloud. The General held his gaze for a moment, before nodding slightly again.

"Cloud, are you busy after your meal?" Sephiroth asked in his usual velveteen voice, and Cloud blushed slightly at the effect the tone _still_ had on him. If the reappearance of the slight flicker of amusement in the General's eyes were any indication, it was a fact the General was aware of.

"No sir," the blonde managed, after hastily swallowing his mouthful of food.

"There is a matter I'd like to discuss with you if I may?"

"Uh, of course sir..."

"Take your time," Sephiroth said lightly, "I shall be observing third class drills today. You may ask Lieutenant Fair how to find me."

"Yes sir."

With that, the General turned to leave. He seemed to falter however, and turned back to face the table.

"Enjoy your meals, I apologise for interrupting."

There was a chorus of 'Yes sir', before the General made his departure, the table bursting into excited murmurs. Cloud couldn't help but feel as if the retreating back of the General seemed a little more... tense than usual... Cloud quickly felt his cheeks heat however, as he looked across the cafteria and felt hundreds of eyes set solely on him in curiousity.

"Oh _God_!" Damien sulked in Cloud's direction, clearly envious, "He knows your _name_. You're so lucky you're in tight with Fair. I had to wait until first class before he even knew who I was. It was _torture!_"

Clinton gave Cloud a thoughtful look before speaking.

"Come to think of it, you spending so much time with Zack must mean you get to see the General a fair bit," Clinton mused, "Not to mention you spent a heck of a lot of time with him on missions."

"He's right," Clinton's friend piped up again, "You probably got to know him a lot better than the rest of us, right?"

"I guess..." Cloud replied, his cheeks burning once again as he was flooded with mental images of just _how_ well he'd gotten to know Sephiroth.

"What's he like then?" Damien urged, practically leaning across the table.

"He's..." the blonde hesitated, trying to find the words.

_... a conundrum, different from one day to the next, patient, powerful, incredibly strong..._

"He's probably not what you'd expect..." Cloud decided on, "He's kind of hard to read, even for Tseng, but you can tell how he feels sometimes, or what he's thinking, by looking at his eyes. Like, you might catch him smiling or he might have a completely neutral expression, but they could mean anything. The eyes are kind of the real deal?"

Damien let out a soft sigh, leaning propped up on his elbows.

"That sounds pretty damn dreamy there blondie. You must know him pretty well..." Damien sulked, falling back into his chair in defeat, "I bet if you looked long enough into those emeralds, you'd drown."

"You wouldn't know. I saw you just before," Clinton snorted, "You could barely even look at him you were burning up so bad."

"So were you, come to think of it!" Damien gaped, before laughing maniacally, " You closet homo, you!"

Cloud smiled at his roast chicken, enjoying the feeling of belonging to a group, as the rest of the table's occupants continued to sling taunts and insults at each other in mock disdain. Thankfully for the blonde, the topic of Sephiroth had seemingly been dropped abruptly, and there was time for the blonde to quietly muse over how they would react should he reveal he was Sephiroth's lover.

_...Probably with a strict sense of disbelief..._

It was then that Cloud considered if he was indeed permitted to mention the relationship at all. Sephiroth had never told Cloud explicitly _not_ to tell anyone. He had mentioned before that perhaps it was a bad idea due to backlash and suspicion from his peers, but the blonde had a firm belief that he could handle anything dished out to him. It would all have been worth it just for the world to know that the General was very much out of bounds.

Cloud stood up, having finished his meal, and Damien's attention flicked to him with the sharpness of a bloodhound's.

"Cloudy-cakes, do me a favour yes?" he purred, a mischievious grin on his lips. Wherever this was going was not a direction that Cloud could imagine being entirely comfortable with.

"Depends..."

"Pass on a message to my favourite little sex bomb of a Lieutenant?"

"...Depends..." Cloud repeated dryly, and the rest of the table snorted, obviously curious as to the direction Damien's little show was going in.

"Ask him to dinner for me? He said he'd come along one night this week, but for some reason, hasn't made any further plans," Damien frowned innocently.

"I suppose."

"And if he's coming could he bring desert?" Damien said suggestively, "I'll be looking for more than your average thank you for my hard effort in preparing a meal."

Cloud snorted as he rolled his eyes and shrugged.

"Heck, why not?" Cloud smirked, turning and heading for the door.

"One more thing, Cloud," The Lieutenant beamed, calling out across the hall, "Make sure you pinch his ass when you do it!"

--

"He wonders why I don't come over," Zack snorted, after Cloud relayed Damien's message, minus the ass pinching, "It's innuendo after innuendo."

"He knows you're into that mystery girl of yours, right?"

"Of course. He just loves toying with me because he loves the times I occassionally toy back..." The Lieutenant remarked airily, his eyes still not leaving the group of third class SOLDIERs before him. Cloud was then almost deafened, as Zack blew a whistle right beside his ear.

"Peterson! Move your ass!" The Lieutenant bellowed, "Don't make me kick it into gear. Have you forgotten what's going on today? So help me God, you better not make me look bad!"

"Sorry Sir! I'll do my best sir!" one of the younger SOLDIERs replied.

"Thatta boy!" Zack grinned, as Peterson picked up the pace.

"Apparently I'm meant to ask you where Sephiroth is?" Cloud asked quietly, once the group had ran past the Lieutenant whilst doing their laps.

"Over there," He gestured towards the large mirrored section, his eyes still fixated on the group before him, "You can get in through the door on the right. He'll have to let you in though, cause you don't have a card."

There was a pause as Cloud looked over at the mirror, before the whistle blew shrilly in his ear again.

"McKenzie! Pull your head out of your ass and focus!" Zack barked, as a young redhead nodded, falling back into line with the others. Despite all the yelling and reprimands, the group still remained in seemingly high spirits, and Cloud could plainly see why. They respected Zack, even if their faults were pointed out to them more than they would have been used to.

As Cloud turned to leave Zack to do what he did best, the Lieutenant grabbed his shoulder lightly, and finally turned his gaze to the blonde's.

"Hey Cloud?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you think Sephiroth's been a little weird lately?" Zack asked, "I mean, moreso than usual?"

"A little..." Cloud admitted quietly.

"Make sure he's ok for me, yeah?"

"Ok," Cloud nodded, "Why is he watching the thirds today anyway?"

"Got me beat. Maybe because it's getting close to customary inspection by Shinra. Maybe he wants to get in first..." Zack mused, a slightly furrowed frown gracing his lips, "But the boys are shitting themselves..."

"Well, I'm sure that's all," Cloud smiled reassuringly, as the Lieutenant reached out and ruffled his hair warmly. It was another sure sign that Zack had seemingly gotten over the whole fight thing, and it must have shown as Sephiroth opened the door for him a minute later.

"He seems better," The General remarked, as Cloud stepped inside, Sephiroth closing the door behind him.

"He does," Cloud agreed, "So how are the thirds doing?"

Sephiroth let out a small sigh at this, and Cloud tensed slightly.

"Exceptionally well," Sephiroth nodded morosely, subconsciously placing a hand atop the blonde's head.

"You say that as if it's a bad thing," Cloud snorted, but the morose expression on the General's face neither faltered or changed, and a sinking feeling began to creep along the blonde's insides. Then, the bombshell dropped.

"They're all leaving for Wutai by the end of tomorrow..." Sephiroth murmured, his lips pursing tightly. Cloud's stomach tightened as his eyes focused on the third class SOLDIERs continuing to do their laps around the hall. Many of them had a hardworking, yet entirely carefree air about them. The blonde could only wonder how long this would last when they found out they would be leaving it all behind to fight for a war that would seemingly never cease.

"They said Wutai was over..." Cloud murmured, and the General let out a soft sigh of stretched patience.

"Perhaps it's not as easy for you to understand, but the hurt this company has caused that nation will forever leave a tension that even a cease fire will not resolve," Sephiroth explained, "As far as we are aware however, this is only a mild uprising that should be easily contained with some extra support from our third class SOLDIERs."

"How can you be sure?" The blonde queried, and Sephiroth's brow creased slightly, as his hand upon the blonde's head moved to rest on Cloud's shoulder.

"They're not sending me," Sephiroth mused, seemingly hesitant of his next words.

"They're sending me to Corel. Sometime within the next two days," Sephiroth said softly, and Cloud reeled away from the General's touch.

"_Corel_?" Cloud gaped, as his mind flooded with all he had learned of Corel's situation in the past few weeks. Benjamin Phipps, a third class SOLDIER, had been born and raised in Corel. Often he received letters from his mother, and more recently those letters had carried more weight than even Ben had expected. His mother began to speak of conflict rising within the villagers regarding the building of a reactor there. The town had become divided over the matter, yet the reactor had gained enough support and been built. Now, reports had been flooding in from the workers at the hastily built reactor that it had began to become unstable, and the entire town was beginning an uprising against Shinra and all that the company had come to stand for within the people's eyes. Mrs. Phipps' letters had become bitter, deeming her son a Shinra lapdog, and speaking of her horrible shame at having her name associated to a man who would support the corporation tearing apart the town she loved so dearly. Benjamin had left three weeks ago, leaving his tags upon his bedsheets, and no one within Shinra's walls had heard from him since. Cloud's inner musings were coming to a conflicting struggle. From the very beginnings of what might be described as a relationship between the General and himself, he had sworn solely never to come between Sephiroth and the General's duties to Shinra.

"There's a small uprising amongst the civilians there that, as of this morning, has become a priority one situation," Sephiroth explained, "and Shinra believes that my presence may effect the overall severity of the situation in a positive manner."

_...I can see _some_ logic behind that reasoning..._

"I see..." Cloud said softly, nodding slightly, as his eyes continued to focus on the third class SOLDIERs continuing to train.

"Cloud..." Sephiroth began quietly, albeit almost awkwardly, "There are some things that are out of my control..."

"I understand," the blonde nodded, offering a weak smile against his body's protest, "I always told myself I would never come between you and your work."

"And if I was reluctant to leave?" Sephiroth asked, his eyes seemingly searching Cloud's for any sign of reluctancy or a shred of hope that would make him stay. Cloud refused to budge.

"If you were, you would not have accepted to begin with," Cloud shrugged nonchalantly, "Corel needs you."

Sephiroth paced for a minute or so then, as a blanket of silence fell over the pair. There were words a plenty that had been left unsaid, and expressions of emotion neither would allow to show. Cloud's attention returned, as it had so often this afternoon, to the SOLDIER thirds and the Lieutenant beaming at them. They were standing, bunched in a strictly enforced group, as Zack paced before them, offering a speech of some sort, his face full of pride and achievement directed squarely at those before him. It lead the blonde to wonder if even Zack was aware that his beloved group of elite fighters would be missing these moments with their leader by the end of the week.

_...God Zack... what's happening to Shinra inc.?..._

"Do you think they'll miss it?" Cloud asked, "Training in this hall, eating in the cramped cafeteria, having Zack whip them into shape?"

"The thirds?" Sephiroth said softly, a slight smile gracing his lips, "No one can be sure. If anything, the normality will give them something to look forward to."

"This is the first time a lot of them will be changing continents, right?"

"For many, it will be the first time they leave Midgar..." Sephiroth frowned, before nodding, "But yes, many will be leaving what they have seen to be their homelands for their entire lives."

Cloud, in a momentary need for comfort, simply turned and pressed his head against the General's chest.

"It's not fair though..." the blonde sighed in defeat, and he had the feeling that Sephiroth had picked up on the double meaning behind the statement.

"I won't be long," the General reassured softly, as he hesitantly put his arms around the blonde's form, "There's no need for concern."

"Does Zack know?" Cloud murmured against the leather clad chest before him, and Sephiroth's hands tightened their grip slightly.

"Not yet..." Sephiroth murmured quietly, as his face rested against the blonde's hair, and he breathed deeply. The distress in the General was apparent, perhaps only to Cloud, who had come to know him so well.

_...At least, I'd like to think so..._

Cloud, in all of his fleeting moments of insanity, had never felt more confident than he had in the momentary lapse of mental health he experienced right then. Somewhere along the line, Sephiroth had taken priority on Cloud's list, even above the blonde himself. At least, that had to be the case, or he would never have dreamed of saying what he planned to.

"Sephiroth?" Cloud paused, not wanting to ruin the moment in even the smallest of ways, but feeling his next words were necessary. He felt the General squeeze him slightly, a small gesture showing that he was paying attention, and the blonde decided to soldier on.

"Send the seconds and maybe a handful of Turks or something," Cloud said flatly, as he felt Sephiroth push him away slightly, and hold his gaze in pure bewilderment.

The General's eyes were alive with mako, and a myriad of emotions were racing through them quicker than Cloud could recognise them fully. Mainly thought, hurt and anger recurred the most.

"...Pardon?" Sephiroth said softly, and Cloud held his gaze as best as he could.

"...Send in the Second Class SOLDIERs... and if you're overly concerned, maybe some Turks..." the blonde murmured, even as Sephiroth let go of him and turned, his fists balling by his sides, "We have more experience, we have more numbers, we have more _mako_. Altogether, it would be a heck of a lot safer and-"

"_You_ wouldn't be!" Sephiroth snapped, the burning intensity of eyes capable of withering any lesser man than Cloud, "What do you expect me to do whilst you're on a different continent? How could I possibly help you there?"

Cloud felt a bubble of anger surface before he could control himself, and stepped forward to further challenge Sephiroth in his suggestion.

"Like Corel's any better!" Cloud retorted, as Sephiroth faltered, his eyes flickering from hurt to anger repeatedly. The General slowly shook his head, before turning on his heels and heading for the door.

"I apologise, Cloud," Sephiroth said dangerously low, "But my decision remains final..."

As the General reached for the door and flung it open, Cloud followed close behind, determined that Sephiroth's decision would _not_ be his final one.

"Why do you have to do that? Anytime I try and talk to you logically, and it doesn't suit you, you block me out and move on," Cloud cried, unable to hold back the hurt in his voice, "It's like what I have to say means _nothing_ to you!"

The blonde stopped in his tracks as Sephiroth did, and the General turned a burning gaze in the second's direction.

"_Idiot_," Sephiroth spat, "What you have to say means _everything_ to me..."

Even with the insult threaded through it, the statement reverberated through Cloud's mind, and his breath caught in his throat as Sephiroth's gaze softened considerably. Replacing the burning anger of just a moment before, was anguish, frustration and almost...

_...discomfort?..._

Cloud was then aware that both he and the General were standing before a large group of third class SOLDIERs, all of which were gaping worldessly, Zack following their lead. Sephiroth's gaze flicked momentarily to them, before returning to Cloud's.

"I refuse to risk your safety, Strife..." Sephiroth said firmly, turning his gaze away again.

"And what about the others, General?" Cloud replied softly, all eyes still focused on them. Sephiroth's gaze flicked to them again, and he let out a small sigh. His eyes refused to meet Cloud's again, and now, were also pointedly avoiding the puzzled gaze of Zack.

"I have more than a fair share of blood on these hands," Sephiroth said softly, "and I refuse to allow yours to be a contribution..."

As Sephiroth then turned and began to walk away, Cloud struggled to find the words he wanted. Before the General could reach the door, the blonde stamped his foot in frustration.

"Sephiroth!"

The General stopped, but didn't turn, and Cloud knew that he had his attention, regardless of whether it would cost him in the long run or not. One thing that Sephiroth had established as a firm rule in their relationship was that he was _not_ to be called by his first name in front of anyone other than Zack. It wasn't so much a dislike of it, but the General had chosen for Cloud to do so out of respect for the other SOLDIERs who had to earn that privilege.

"...Use some logic here... sir..." Cloud pleaded significantly softer than his most recent outburst, "You want less blood shed? Then take my suggestion..."

There was an extended silence, before Zack was the one to break it.

"What's going on here you two?" The Lieutenant frowned, and Cloud let out an exasperated sigh, turning a pleading gaze to Zack.

"Lieutenant Fair, sir, the General's being unreasonable," Cloud murmured, as the third class SOLDIERs continued to look on in disbelief.

_...Yeah... how dare I speak that way to their General, I bet..._

Zack frowned slightly, as a few of his third class boys began to murmur amongst themselves, Sephiroth still standing rigid by the door. Once again, in a relationship between Cloud and the General, it was looking like the Lieutenant would come bounding to the rescue. Cloud wasn't too pleased about this, the more he thought on it, as he found difficulty in picturing a proper relationship where troubles between the couple were dealt with by a third party. Regardless of all this, Zack dismissed his thirds and took Cloud by the elbow, steering him to the offices.

"Sephiroth, you sure as hell better come with me, Sir..." Zack said firmly, as the General's eyes finally turned in their direction.

_...He's going to kill us both..._

Zack pushed Cloud through the door and stepped inside, Sephiroth following shortly behind. Once the door had closed, Zack simply turned to the pair and scowled.

"Details, now," the Lieutenant said flatly, and Cloud made to speak before Sephiroth abruptly cut him off.

"Cloud wants to go fight at Wutai with all of his second class companions," Sephiroth hissed, "Despite knowing there is a large risk of death involved."

Zack gaped slightly, as his head whiplashed to Cloud's direction.

"Is he telling the truth?" Zack asked in obvious confusion, "Cloud, why the _hell_ would you want to do that for?"

The blonde reeled in pure annoyance at Sephiroth's skills of manipulation. Already, Zack was judging him, without hearing the full story.

"Tell him _everything_, Sephiroth," Cloud spat, "Tell him _all_ of the details, instead of making me out to be a royal pain in the ass, like you so _love_ to do!"

Cloud held the General's gaze then, as Sephiroth frowned deeply and shook his head.

"Why do you think I'm portraying you negatively?" He asked, and Cloud turned to Zack.

"I suggested sending the seconds because he's willing to send out _your_ thirds. They'll get slaughtered out there with no field experience!" Cloud cried. _That_ statement had gotten Zack's attention, as he turned a blazing gaze to Sephiroth.

"You have the option of sending out experienced seconds, but you refuse to because of personal attachment to one of them?" Zack hissed, and Sephiroth returned the burning gaze with one of his own.

"You want Cloud to be sent back here in a body bag, Lieutenant? That's horribly reassuring of you..."

"Oh shut up!" Zack snapped, as both Cloud and Sephiroth's eyes widened slightly in surprise. Zack seemed to realise this, as his facial features softened and he let out a frustrated sigh.

First, he turned to Cloud, who was pink from his pented anger.

"Cloud, I understand where you're coming from here. You're thinking with your head, not your heart, which I guess we should all be doing right now..." Zack frowned, "I don't want anything to happen to you either, but I know that you're a bright kid with a heck of a lot more experience than the rest of your second class pals."

With that said, his gaze locked onto Sephiroth's and he frowned.

"Are you stupid? How could you even _think_ that I'd willingly let Cloud get hurt? I might have done some stupid shit in the past, but there is nothing I wouldn't do to take that all back, Seph..." Zack urged, seemingly hurt, and Cloud cringed a little inside. Obviously him getting hurt had caused more pain to the Lieutenant than it had to Cloud himself. The blonde's hand absently ran over his still blackened body, and began to wonder if Sephiroth's concerns had a little more merit than he was giving him credit for. The thought flew out the window with the General's next statement though.

"I hold every right to delve into Cloud's working life. If I deem something to be potentially risky to his safety, I have the rights as both his commanding officer and his... companion... to order him to stay where I deem fit," Sephiroth said firmly, as Cloud bristled.

"_Order_ me? Even as your 'companion'?" Cloud hissed, "So it's like no matter what I do, you have complete and utter control over me, even though I've always said I'd never get between you and _your_ work? You think I want _you_ to go to Corel?"

This was also obviously news to Zack as the Lieutenant coughed in startled surprise.

"You're going to _Corel_?!" Zack cried, even as Cloud turned on his heel and headed for the door.

"Yeah, but naturally, a lowlife second would have no opinion to the almighty General."

"I told you what you say means everything to me Cloud..." Sephiroth said tersely.

"Don't go to Corel. I don't want you to," Cloud snapped, pausing in his step to meet Sephiroth's gaze. The General almost immediately shook his head and it was all it took to send Cloud walking out the door.

Zack turned to Sephiroth once the blonde had left and glared.

"What.. the _hell..._ do you think you're doing?" Zack spat, as the General fell back into the nearest chair, defeat flickering across his face. Zack noticed this and a sudden realisation hit him.

"You're scared, aren't you? And you've got no idea how to handle it, so you get shitty like you usually do..." The Lieutenant pressed, as Sephiroth averted his gaze.

_...Well holy shit..._

"What exactly are you scared about here?"

"I'm... not sure..." Sephiroth frowned, raising a hand to his head, "What if Cloud should get hurt?"

"He'll get the best medical treatment we can buy."

"What if I get hurt or killed?"

"It's never bothered you before..."

"That was before..." Sephiroth trailed off and Zack felt all his anger slip away.

"That was before you had someone like Cloud?" Zack prompted as Sephiroth nodded slightly, "Sephiroth, I'm sure I've told you this a billion times, but if you're that worried about losing Cloud, stop pushing him away. Sure, he's smaller, lighter, less experienced than both of us by a LONG shot, but he's not a kid. You've gotta realise he's a grown man, and he's perfectly capable of making his own decisions. Can you see where he's coming from?"

Zack could almost hear the gears in Sephiroth's head, gridning in sync with the General's teeth, as the Lieutenant himself tried to figure out the conundrum that Sephiroth was.

_...You're so freaking smart, but when it comes to shit like this, you're like a toddler... You think I want Cloud hurt? You gotta think of the bigger picture, of your job as a General... __**why**__ can't you __**see**__ that?_

"He thinks I don't trust him... That I'm constricting him, treating him like a child?" Sephiroth guessed, as Zack nodded, but waved a hand to encourage a little more thinking on the matter. Sephiroth frowned slightly, while Zack watched with mild fascination as the General's eyes flicked and glowed with a rarely seen trail of uncontrolled thought.

"I'm letting my own fears get in the way of what he sees as the right thing to do, when he has made some choices regarding my lifestyle that I've taken so much for granted..." Sephiroth mused, and Zack clapped his hands together.

_...It's like watching a chimpanzee with a rubiks cube..._

"Yesssss!" Zack cried out in exasperation, "So can you see why he is so incredibly pissed at you right now, and why I want to bitch slap you?"

Sephiroth raised an eyebrow at the last part, and Zack actually found himself smiling.

"Come on, we'll go talk to the president, yeah?" Zack said softly, and Sephiroth stood, almost trance like, and headed for the door.

"Zachary?" He paused as he reached out for the handle.

"Yeah?"

"You're really very good at this."

"Thanks," the Lieutenant scoffed, as they headed for Shinra's domain.

--

**LONNNNG A/N:** Wanna be part of a social experiment? Of _course_ you do. scarlettHuntress and I are seeing how many of our readers we can swap by swaying them to READ author's notes. Basically, I wanna know if I type out these things for nothing or not. =3 Go and check out scarlettHuntress' story "Mix" and leave the little ball of love a review. We'll see how many of you read my author's notes, and are effectively swayed to her work. The best part about it? I bet you'll love it, cause I sure as hell do! =D

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	15. Departure

I love this story so much, but at the same time, I resent it. There's an expected three chapters left, including this one.

Warnings: Meh, see previous chapters.

_Training Chapter 14_

_Sephiroth and Zack attempt to have the second class SOLDIERs approved as the fleet to Wutai, but is the mission more than meets the eye? And what will Sephiroth do to try and make things right __once again__ with Cloud? _

--

Smokey blue eyes gazed up at the General in amused surprise, before continuing to read over the document in front of them. Sephiroth watched said blue eyes with interest, waiting to see if the reaction both he and Zack had been hoping for would come to light. Slowly, deliberately, Shinra placed the proposal on his desk and stretched back in his chair, his eyes swapping between Sephiroth's expression of feigned disinterest, and Zack's blatantly obvious enthusiasm.

"This is an interesting proposal you have here, General..." Shinra said slowly and Sephiroth began to feel as if he would throttle Shinra to death if he didn't cut straight to the point.

"We're hoping you will consider it within good reasons, sir," Zack grinned charmingly, "Knowing the General and myself sir, surely you can be reassured that we're well suited to military strategies. Knowing that also, you can feel comfortable that we know what we're talking about with this."

"You are aware that part of your proposal is subject to any debates on Tseng's behalf?"

"Yes sir, well aware," Zack nodded firmly, "And we're willing to work through any debates the Commander may have regarding the proposal."

Shinra gave a weary gaze, letting out a soft sigh as he picked up the receiver of his telephone. He tapped his foot on the floorboards for a few moments, as he held the phone against his ear. Sephiroth and Zack chanced a quick exchanging of glances between each other and it became apparent that both were concerned with what the president was currently doing.

"Michelle?" Shinra queried, as the person on the other phone clearly answered, "Yes, yes, I'm well thank you. Yourself? Lovely. Michelle, is he in? Yes? Put me through please."

Shinra pulled out a box of cigars from his desk drawer and offered them to Zack and Sephiroth, both of which declined. He unwrapped, lit, and began to smoke the cigar with his free hand, before sitting up straight.

"Commander!" Shinra smirked down the phone, "I was beginning to think you were ignoring me... No, no. Yes, of course. Well thank you, yourself? Good!"

Sephiroth could almost feel a nervous tick developing. He himself was a man that cut straight to the chase, and found much difficulty in understanding why people would spend more time on the phone than was necessary.

"I'd like you to come to my office for a meeting. Right now if at all possible. Yes, it is rather urgent..." Shinra paused, smirking slightly at the General and Lieutenant, "SOLDIER First Class Lieutenant Fair and SOLDIER's leading man, General Sephiroth."

Shinra paused for some time then, before letting out a small laugh of questionable authenticity.

"Yes, _that_ urgent..." He remarked airily, "I expect you here in five."

With that, the President hung up and his face turned into that of a frown.

"Turks..." He scowled, "They're the only ones who ever seem to dare question me."

Sephiroth bit back a smirk, recalling Tseng mentioning on several occasions _exactly_ what he thought of President Shinra. This meeting would prove to be interesting, of that he was sure.

Five minutes on the dot later, there was a knock at the door and Tseng entered. He threw puzzled looks at both Zack and Sephiroth, before turning into a firm line when facing the president.

"I trust you've not exaggerated to get me to attend this meeting, president?" Tseng asked innocently, "Because I've come to notice you have a habit of doing that..."

Shinra let out another questionable laugh whilst his eyes flashed with danger in Tseng's direction.

"Interpret it as you wish, Commander..." Shinra said just as innocently, "I'm sure I have no idea what you mean."

Tseng then turned to seemingly block out the image of the president and chose to face Sephiroth instead.

"Perhaps I should speak to you, lest we be here all afternoon, General," Tseng remarked, a flicker of a smirk toying along the Commander's lips. Sephiroth picked up the report from the president's desk and merely handed it over, as Shinra himself reclined in the chair. All three of them were watching Tseng with a curious anticipation, as the Turk's eyes widened slightly as they scanned the document.

"_Wutai?_" Tseng murmured, "Of all places that you intend to send-"

"Whilst our second class SOLDIERs are fully capable of such a mission, it is never a bad idea to have some of your Turks along for the journey, Commander," Zack interjected boldly and Tseng regarded him for some time. His eyes then drifted back to the file as he scoured over it once again.

"It mentions no numbers here. How am I to know how many of my men you are expecting to have access to?" Tseng asked and Zack leapt in once again.

"Well the thing is that Cloud was suggesting-"

_...Zack... you idiot..._

Sephiroth inwardly groaned, as Tseng's eyes darted up to meet Zack's.

"You're sending _Cloud_?" The Commander bristled slightly, "You have got to be joking, Lieutenant. You send out Cloud, who is still recovering from an illness we are yet to be fully informed about and expect me to agree to the authorisation of this mission?"

Zack looked sheepishly up at Sephiroth, clearly having realised his mistake two minutes too late and hoping for a back up from the General.

"At first I was reluctant myself, Commander," Sephiroth said calmly, as Zack bounced slightly on his feet, "But it was only because I have confidence in Private Strife's abilities that I am agreeing to allow this change in plans."

"If you send my thirds, they'll be slaughtered!" Zack blurted, mild panic across his features. Tseng raised an eyebrow in concern, and Zack simply grinned sheepishly again, choosing to take a seat across from the president and silently toy with the hem of his shirt. Sephiroth let out a small sigh and rolled his eyes, focusing his attention back on the Commander, who was now smirking. Sephiroth knew how good Tseng was at reading a person's face. So much so, that he had figured Tseng to be a mind reader of sorts.

_...I'll be upsetting Cloud if I do not let him go, and it would not be in my best interests to deny that... I'm concerned, but..._

Tseng was watching him intently, before nodding slightly and stooping to lean against the president's desk.

"I'll leave an offer up for any Turks to volunteer. No more than five," He said simply, as he signed the release form at the bottom. He then offered a gaze in Sephiroth's direction that didn't take a Turk's skill to read.

_"Good luck."_

--

Cloud dragged himself into the cafeteria, many eyes following him as he did so. News spread fast at Shinra, and despite the blonde's best efforts to remain nonchalant in appearance, people continued to make speculations amongst themselves.

"Oi Blondie!" A familiar voice called and Cloud felt a little more comfortable in his surroundings as Reno waved at him from across the cafeteria, a casual smirk along his lips. Cloud fell into the seat across from Reno, and the redhead let out an amused snort.

"Is all the talk around here getting you down kid?" Reno asked, and Cloud shrugged slightly.

"I suppose you heard what happened?" the blonde asked, and groaned miserably as Reno's smirk grew.

"God Strife, you seriously think that the Turks aren't gonna find out about anything and everything that involves scandal, especially when it comes to your boy?"

"No, no, 'companion'..." Cloud said bitterly, and Reno frowned.

"He referred to you as a 'companion'?" The Turk shook his head, "What is he, a fucken vampire or something? Weird ass leather buff..."

Cloud bit back a laugh at this and Reno reached out to ruffle his hair, much like Zack would have done in the same situation.

"Cheer up, yeah? Life isn't one hundred percent great all the time, but it isn't one hundred per cent shitty all the time either, ya know?" Reno shrugged, leaning back casually in his chair.

Cloud nodded, choosing to take the redhead's advice. As soon as the blonde had calmed himself down and lifted himself out of his misery a little, the thought suddenly occurred to him that it was _Reno_ he was talking to. The Turk had only days ago been deemed a traitor, and here he was sitting in the cafeteria like not a thing in the world had set him off. There were questions on Cloud's lips that wanted to spill and Reno must have sensed this, as he shrugged.

"I was gonna leave, to be honest..." The redhead remarked, "But I kind of heard what I needed to hear, and you come to realise that even if you hate some stuff about your job, there's always something or someone that keeps you sticking around."

"What if you thought that you had something... or someone... that kept you sticking around, but you're not too sure that they actually want you there?" Cloud asked hesitantly, and Reno picked up what he was saying.

"Sephiroth's an ass, seriously. He says a lot of shit that doesn't make sense to anyone or anything a lot of the time, but as much as I don't like him at times, I can tell he's got it bad for you Spikey," Reno shrugged, "Take me and that Wutaian bastard. I thought when he came looking for me, he was going to put a bullet through the back of my head. He held the gun against my skull and all, but he didn't do it. You know what he did instead?"

Cloud shook his head at this and Reno smiled slightly, albeit a little distantly.

"He pulled me onto his God damn lap and just... I dunno... held me..." Reno shook himself violently then, and made a sour face, "Not that I'm into all that sentimental shit or anything..."

Cloud raised an eyebrow and smirked smugly, whilst Reno rolled his eyes.

"Whatever," Reno shrugged, "The point _is_, is that sometimes they gotta realise that they need you as much as you need them, and they're likely to show it in some random desperate way that you're never gonna forget."

Reno took a swig from the coffee cup before him and winked.

"And _that's_ when you know why the hell you're stuck here for the rest of your life..."

Cloud nodded, finding some logic in that, as he reached out and helped himself to Reno's coffee, only to find it spiked with brandy. Cloud spluttered slightly, and gaped at the redhead, who merely shrugged.

"It was either that or die of boredom back at the Commander's, yo," He grinned, as Cloud put the cup firmly back on the table. All seriousness of the previous discussion seemed to disappear then, as Reno prattled off tales of all the bad habits he'd found Tseng to be capable of.

"He bites his nails when he's real pissed off, but because most of the time he's pissed off is in front of Shinra, he grinds his teeth instead," Reno snorted, "He did it so often last year that he had to have a jaw re-alignment, as well as having to have one of his teeth replaced."

Cloud snorted, as Reno nodded.

"No bullshitting, he's the only Turk who legitimately got away with dental insurance due to work related causes that _didn't_ have his face punched in by some thug," Reno snorted, before he leant back in his chair.

"I guess you know a lot about him already, huh?" Cloud asked, and Reno gave a small shrug once again followed by a distant smile.

"I pretty much grew up around the Turks. You gotta learn a lot about them, they're the only family you have. Tseng though, he was different, I dunno, I never really knew I was into guys," Reno made a slightly uncomfortable face then, "But I did know that there was something different about the boss-man."

"Doesn't everyone?" Cloud snorted, discreetly draining the remaining liquid from Reno's coffee mug, "He's Commander of the Turks after all, and he's probably one of the most feared people on the planet."

Reno gave him a critical gaze then and shook his head.

"Would you agree that the only reason Sephiroth's any different from the rest of the losers here because he's General of the Army?" the redhead asked and Cloud seemed to finally understand.

"Tseng's different because of what's in here," Reno shrugged, reaching over and tapping a slender finger against the blonde's chest, "Think of all the shit he does… He kills, he murders, he tortures… really bad shit, ya know? But, he still has soft spots for things. He loves kids, he loves gardening, he loves photography, and somehow he's still got enough room in there for patience with someone like me."

Reno leant back in his chair then, before letting out a soft sigh.

"Sometimes you don't have to understand it to just go with it, yo," the redhead nodded, "So, just go with it Spikey."

Cloud smiled softly, as Reno returned the favor. Cloud would never understand a lot of things, and Reno himself was certainly one of them. Cloud often did wonder how such polar opposites such as Tseng and Reno ended up in relationships, but with the redhead's description, the SOLDIER could see how very alike the pair was. Both were broken in one way or another, both did terrible things as a part of their lifestyle, yet both were fully capable of showing a softer side.

Reno went to take a swig from his coffee then, and Cloud held back a laugh at the scowl that then emerged on the redhead's face.

"You little shit, get your own pick me up!" The Turk snapped, before placing the mug back on the table. Cloud offered a half hearted apology as Reno brushed it away, before sweeping his gaze across the room over Cloud's shoulder. He then mumbled a curse and shook his head. Cloud made to turn to see who Reno had spotted but didn't have to, as Damien dropped himself into the chair next to him.

"Hi there sexy!" Damien cooed as he ran a hand through Cloud's hair, "I've heard _loads_ about _you_ today."

"Great..." Cloud frowned, before Reno leant across the table and met Damien's eyes squarely.

"Don't I get a hello there, hotshot?" Reno asked, with an admittedly seductive smirk toying along his lips.

"Oh God Red, you shouldn't _do_ that," Damien whined, "You know it makes me want to jump you over the table."

Reno took the opportunity to lean back in his chair once again, and peer over his coffee cup at Damien.

"Much better," The first class chided before turning back to Cloud, "Now Blondie cakes, I've heard a lot about you."

"Like what?" Cloud asked innocently, and Damien snorted.

"Oh Gaia, you're gorgeous!" He grinned in apparent glee, "You _know_... During third class training, you and Sephiroth were seen to be having what looked suspiciously like a lover's _quarrel_... Are you... dating him?"

Cloud could see Damien practically holding his breath and floundered for words slightly.

"Fuck yeah, just like this morning, I was in Tseng's apartment arguing over Wutaian apples, before he gave me a teasing little kiss and fucked off. Pissed me off real bad," Reno said flatly, "God, you guys are behind on the goss aren't you?"

Damien raised a disbelieving eyebrow at Reno before rolling his eyes, and turning back to Cloud.

"Sooo, what happened?" Damien pressed, and Cloud suddenly realised that Reno had just offered Cloud a suggestion, which the blonde took all too gratefully.

"Oh yeah, we totally had an argument because he's getting sent away and I couldn't bear the thought of him not being here, you know?" Cloud shrugged, "I got all possessive and _demanded_ he stayed, whilst he sent me off gallivanting to Wutai to fight a battle that he didn't want _me _in. It's all so complicated."

"Gaia _damn_ it!" Damien scowled with a whine, "I knew those little third class shits were bullshitting me. No offence honey, but whilst it's nice to imagine yourself and the General together, it's just not as plausible as I'd hoped it would be. They always blow things out of proportion..."

Damien stood then, as Cloud was still trying to wrap his head around the situation, before the first class leant in and scowled at Reno.

"And stop teasing me. If you ever got with Tseng I wouldn't believe you anyway you sexy little _bastard_," Damien hissed, pressing a firm kiss on the redhead's cheek before turning on his heel.

"You're an ass, Damien," Reno remarked, as Damien flipped him the bird.

"I love you more Red, remember that!" The first class called over his shoulder. Reno simply wiped at the patch on his cheek where Damien's lips had pressed and scowled.

"What the hell just happened?" Cloud asked, once the Lieutenant was out of earshot. Reno stopped his fussing and smirked knowingly as he reclined in his chair.

"He only smells a scandal if he thinks that people are _trying_ to lie. You told the straight out truth, so naturally he figured you were being sarcastic and therefore, were lying to him anyway," Reno shrugged, "The Turks love him because he's so easy to toy with."

Reno then gave a coy little smirk and shrugged.

"I noticed then though Cloud, you have great potential to be a flamer if you wanted to be," Reno snorted, as Cloud gave a puzzled look, "Ya know, '_Oh yeah, we __**totally**__ had an argument' _and '_Oh, it's all so __**complicated**_'."

The blonde snorted at the whiney impressions before Reno's smirk deepened.

"You know, most of the guys around here think you're straight. Imagine if they heard that…"

"How could you _possibly_ know that?" Cloud scoffed, "Most of the guys around Shinra don't even know who I _am_."

"Get out of here Blondie; you're on a lot of their 'lists'..." Reno snorted.

"Lists?"

"Surely even you had one at one point? Where all the guys sit around and make up a list of the top ten or so people they'd bang if the opportunity arose?"

Cloud finally got the implication and blushed furiously, looking cautiously around the room at his fellow Shinra-men and being entirely disbelieving.

"_Me_?" Cloud whispered, and Reno smirked.

"Oh God, you have no idea do you?" the redhead asked, as Cloud's blush deepened, "You're a stunner. You ever think that you would have stood out in a crowd to so many people if you weren't? Even Tseng had an eye for you before he watched you tr-"

Reno stopped then, a flicker of annoyance along his face.

"You know what?" the Turk shrugged, "Let's never talk about that again..."

Cloud inwardly cringed a little, realising that to Reno, it might seem like the redhead was second best to the blonde.

"Hey, Reno?" Cloud pressed, as the redhead gave a simple 'hmm?', "You said before that you could see Sephiroth, you know, 'had it bad for me'..."

"It isn't so hard to see."

"I can see it with Tseng, you know, too..." Cloud shrugged slightly, "When he looks at you. It's kinda hard to read Turk emotions, but even when you're being a complete shit to him, he's got this affectionate little glow in his eyes. Other times it looks like he's just about ready to devour you..."

"And sometimes, he does..." Reno smirked at this, and Cloud blushed furiously.

"You're a shit," he murmured to the redhead, "You always make me feel uncomfortable."

"It's what good friends do best, hotstuff," Reno winked, "Get used to it."

The redhead then stood abruptly and ran an affectionate hand over the blonde's head.

"I'm outta here, this place stinks of SOLDIER…" the redhead scowled, making a bitter face as he left. Cloud could do nothing more than watch with a smile on his face.

--

Reno left the cafeteria with an overall feeling of confusion. Cloud had seemed to be able to see more from Tseng than even Reno had. The redhead was well aware that Tseng cared very much about him, but Tseng himself had yet to say anything particularly outstanding in Reno's eyes.

_...I'm a Turk, we shouldn't care about that bullshit...Maybe I've been spending too much time with Cloud..._

Reno snorted out loud at his own musings, before being interrupted by a page on his cell phone, which as far as Tseng was concerned, the redhead had yet to obtain from Elena. Reno thanked his lock picking skills as he read the message.

_"Attention all Turk members: General Sephiroth and Lieutenant Fair are currently asking for five volunteer Turks to accompany a group of SOLDIERs to a peace keeping mission in Wutai. If you are interested, please submit your names to the database at the nearest possible time."_

Reno smirked to himself. Tseng would not have known that Reno had gotten that message, and was likely to have not sent it to him otherwise. Reno was, in some sort of twisted way, a house pet of the Commander, and he was certain that Tseng knew that. The redhead punched his name into the reply central and was notified of his registration, as a smug smirk crept along his lips. Now, as long as Tseng didn't file a direct withdrawal action within the next four hours, Reno would be off to Wutai. It was then that Reno's pager went off again and he read the message. He scowled as he read it to himself.

_"Due to direct interference with the Turk Commander, Tseng, we regret to notify you that your application has been withdrawn."_

The pager buzzed again, and this time, it was Tseng.

_"Nice try..."_

Reno shoved the pager back into his pocket and headed for the Commander's apartment, muttering a chant of 'asshole' the entire way there.

--

Cloud woke up groggily, at first thinking that Zack had come in through the front door and woken him from his slumber on their couch. What he found instead, was a pair of lightly glowing eyes and a shit-eating smirk.

"Come on Blondie," a voice urged, "You better start moving your ass, or we won't make it in time."

Cloud tried to shake away the groggy feeling that was holding onto his mind, before the realisation set in that the glowing eyes before him belonged to Reno.

"Reno?" Cloud murmured, even as the redhead pulled him to his feet.

"Yeah kid. You got your mission bag packed?" The redhead asked hurriedly, as Cloud gave a small nod, "Grab it, and let's go."

"Reno... you're not making any sense..."

"I should be, you're the one who picked the mission, dumbass," the redhead snorted, "God, you're really not a morning person..."

Cloud then realised the implications that Reno was throwing out, and he had never been snapped out of a sleep filled haze quicker than he did at that moment.

"Wutai?"

"Yeah, come on man, we gotta go," Reno urged again, a little impatiently, "I'm itching for some action."

Cloud rushed into his bedroom and snatched at his bag, before hurriedly pulling on some pants and heading back for the door. All the while, he felt his confusion lifting and he scowled a little at the realisation that this was no doubt Zack's doing.

_...He must have gone straight to the president to over-ride Sephiroth's authority... He's done it before..._

Cloud recalled how pissed off Sephiroth had been when he'd found out that Zack had undermined his authority and he felt a small sense of bitter hope that Sephiroth would be just as pissed now. Eventually, Cloud reasoned, Sephiroth would come to see that Cloud's decision was the right one to make, just like Zack had.

"Come on man, you're like a frickin sloth or something!" The redhead cried, rolling his eyes, as Cloud quite literally leapt out the door before Reno had the chance to close it on him. The sun had just begun to creep across the plate and many of the birds were only just beginning to ruffle their feathers free of the dew and cold that the night had brought. Despite feeling like he was going to pass out from sheer exhaustion, Cloud somehow managed to make himself a little more intelligible, if not for Reno's sake, as they made their way across the grounds.

"How'd you manage to come along on this?" Cloud asked the redhead with curiosity, "Aren't you meant to be off duty?"

"Tseng's not as much of a hard ass as everyone thinks," Reno shrugged as they made their way to the departure grounds, "Initially he was a real smart ass about not letting me go."

"How'd you change his mind?" Cloud asked, almost instantly wishing he hadn't, as Reno's lips curled up into a devilish smirk. Reno gave him a look, and Cloud visibly gaped, before the redhead snorted.

"You pervert," Reno chided, "Nothing like that. Well, a little, but not nearly as bad as you're probably thinking..."

"I can't believe I'm going to say that, but... enlighten me?" Cloud winced slightly, as Reno threw an arm around his shoulder.

"I told him I was a big boy now, and I knew if I was pushing too many limits and shit, you know?" Reno shrugged slightly, "And he seemed almost convinced just with that. I just thought I'd seal the deal a little more... _convincingly_..."

"Oh God, you whore..." Cloud snorted, as Reno steered him towards a waiting truck. It was then that it hit the blonde. Cloud was off to combat.

"_..._so _technically_, I wouldn't say it was sex, right?" Reno finished, but Cloud had zoned out as he tried desperately not to panic. He'd been on field missions before, but on the mainland, and with either Sephiroth or Zack for back-up. This time, despite Reno's presence, Cloud felt truly alone.

--

…_This was possibly a mistake…_

Sephiroth continued to scour the thorough briefing that Tseng had provided him regarding Wutai's history, geographical landmarks and people. The only time Wutai had ever become overly inclined toward violence was when Shinra had tried to impose on their lifestyles.

…_Is that not what we're doing in sending more troops over there?..._

"Well Gaia, look at you," a voice interrupted the General's musings, as Sephiroth looked up to see Zack entering his office.

"What?"

"You really don't like this in the slightest, are you?"

"…No."

"There's at least one more thing you can do, you know," Zack said simply, offering Sephiroth a slightly impatient suggestion in his gaze.

"What's that, Zachary?" Sephiroth asked lightly, as the Lieutenant's eyebrow twitched minutely. Sephiroth held back the amused smirk and the words rising to his lips of 'you spend too much time with me', before Zack shook his head.

"Go clear things up with the kid. They're rounding up the troops now, so to speak, and it might be the last chance you get to talk to him," Zack frowned, before hurriedly adding on, "You know, for awhile…"

Sephiroth chanced a glance out the window, his eyes catching sight of the parade grounds where sure enough, the troops were beginning to assemble in the early morning light. His eyes caught sight of something he hadn't expected however, and picking up his binoculars from the side of his window, he handed them to Zack. The Lieutenant's eyesight, although far superior to the average citizen, was poor in comparison to Sephiroth's, as the pair stood by the window.

"Confirm something for me," The General queried, "Is that, or is that not Reno, standing beside Cloud?"

Zack looked over the grounds and let out a small snort of amused surprise.

"Yeah, it is. I thought Tseng had put out orders that any applications for battle by Reno would be automatically refused?"

"I'm almost certain he did…" Sephiroth replied distantly, his thoughts and eyes drawn undeniably towards Cloud. The blonde was frowning slightly as the redhead threw an arm around his shoulder and pulled him closer. Sephiroth, with very little thought, then automatically reached for the intercom on his desk as it let out a shrill ring.

"Yes?"

"General Sephiroth?"

"Yes…"

"Commander Tseng would like to speak to you sir. He says it's of crucial importance. Shall I let him in?"

"Thank you."

Zack let out another small snort as Sephiroth's finger left the button. The General gave a questioning gaze, and Zack shrugged.

"Your new secretary seems to be terrified of you..." Zack drawled.

Sephiroth brushed aside the comment as the door buzzed and Tseng came in with a blazing gaze and deep-set frown on his face. It was that that caused Sephiroth to lean forward at his desk and for Zack's teasing smile to turn immediately into a frown of concern.

"General, Lieutenant," Tseng nodded politely, shutting the door behind him, "I trust you are both well?"

"What is it, Tseng?" Sephiroth said stiffly, cutting straight to the point as the Commander let out a soft sigh of defeat. His eyes continued to blaze, as he seemingly held back on a barely restrained rage, before he placed both hands palm down on the General's desk.

"We've been deceived," Tseng hissed slightly on the last word, "And there's not a damn thing we can do about it."

"Deceived?" Zack frowned, "You're not making any sense, Tseng…"

"Wutai. It's not a peace mission, it's a rekindling of war," Tseng spat, slamming his hands down once again, "We may as well be sending them to their deathbeds!"

Sephiroth stood abruptly then, and headed for the door. Tseng, in what could only be described as the rarest of occurrences, blocked the General's path however. Sephiroth faltered, as the Commander glared at him pointedly.

"Where are you going?"

"Shinra's office," Sephiroth replied sharply, "He's a fool."

"Did you not listen to me before, General?" Tseng said bitterly, "There is not a single thing we are able to do. It's somewhat hurtful that you would think I would not have tried everything possible yet."

Sephiroth paused in his reaching for the door handle, and simply turned to face Tseng.

"Thank you…" Tseng said quietly, "I think that despite both of our tempers regarding this injustice, you should allow me the opportunity to better explain the circumstances don't you think?"

Sephiroth managed a curt nod, before Tseng continued.

"Shinra intends to send them over there as his first line of defence once he speaks to the Emperor of Wutai," Tseng's frown deepened, if at all possible, "His intentions are to speak of a new treaty, which he knows that the Emperor will refuse. Knowing this, it will be the beginnings of a war. He intends on releasing select details to the public to make Wutai seem unreasonable, and the perpetrators of the resulting disputes. Once he's rallied enough public support, he intends to declare war and allow the men already in Wutai to kill with no warning. A pre-emptive strike, you might say…"

"You say there is nothing we can do?" Sephiroth frowned, his own bitter bile rising in his throat.

"Nothing. I've read over the document several times that we have both signed and we were fooled by something as simple as a standardized message."

"Which was?"

"Declaring that certain details may be withheld in the absolute best interest of both Shinra and ourselves should such details be directly related to the success of a mission, and that we accept this knowledge willingly yet continue to provide our compliance over the issue. It's on each and every mission approval form we are handed, but never before has it held the significance it does now," Tseng sighed in apparent frustration, "Sephiroth, what have we done? We've approved a pointless war, and the contract is bullet proof."

Sephiroth turned to his trusted Lieutenant as Zack's face paled significantly, all cheerfulness seemingly drawn from his features. Zack held his gaze for a few long moments, as the pair tried to think of something, anything that might help. Zack tugged at his own hair slightly, the beginnings of a panic attack seemingly setting in.

"Come on Seph; think here, there has to be _something_ we can do…" Zack urged, "You're like, one of the smartest guys on the God damned planet apart from Hojo and probably Rufus, you can surely pull-"

"Of course…" Tseng interjected, seemingly becoming enlightened with a private realisation. Sephiroth thought on it too, and some of the building tension had visibly relieved. Zack looked on in puzzled confusion, as both Commander and General said a single word.

"Rufus."

--

They'd been standing there for almost an hour now, and some of the chill had been taken out of the morning air. Some of the second class SOLDIERs had yet to appear and Reno had expected they'd caught wind of the mission.

"Let me tell you this Blondie, if they were coming at all, they'd be here by now," the redhead shrugged, "This whole standing around for so long is for some other reason. For example, do we even know who's been put in charge of you guys yet?"

Cloud gave a small shrug as some of the other seconds filed passed him and gave disapproving frowns.

…_They know they're here because of me…_

Reno seemed to have noticed too as he ruffled the blonde's hair.

"They're just shitty because they don't get to slack off for a change. You did the right thing here, yo," Reno reassured, "It's a bit of a change, but fuck me; some of these spoilt little rich kids need that proper boot up their ass."

Cloud had the distinct feeling that Reno's voice had gone up a few notches intentionally with that statement, as several of the seconds glared in their direction.

"Reno…" Cloud murmured, and the redhead snorted.

"I'm a Turk, what are they going to do, seriously? I've fought some of them before in the training halls. The average take down time for a second class is twelve seconds, and I was going easy on them," the Turk shrugged, "You SOLDIER boys are a bit slow off the mark. All brawn, no brains."

Cloud glared slightly and Reno offered a brief smirk.

"No offence kid, but I have no idea why you wanted to be in SOLDIER anyway. Imagine if you had have come over to the dark side when Tseng offered, eh?" the redhead teased, and Cloud had little choice but to ask the exact same question. Was it a bad thing that he was in SOLDIER? It was likely he would have gone to Wutai anyway, so he ruled that out as a factor. As usual, it always came back to Sephiroth. He'd joined Shinra to be near Sephiroth, he'd trained for SOLDIER to be near Sephiroth, he'd _stayed_ in SOLDIER to be _with_ Sephiroth. Was it too selfish for the blonde to maybe hope that they could both drop everything that was tied with Shinra completely and find somewhere else to go? Something else to do? Reno let out a soft snort then, dragging Cloud from his musings as the blonde looked in the direction Reno was gazing. Cloud watched with amusement as none other than Damien began to put some order to the group of seconds and their handful of Turk counterparts.

"Gaia save us…" Reno murmured, and Cloud bit back a smirk.

Perhaps the most surprising thing was the efficiency and professionalism that the Lieutenant was handling the group with. Zack had told Cloud on numerous occassions that Damien had gotten far in SOLDIER because he knew how to flick from flirty and fun to deadly serious in a heartbeat.

'_It's a little scary to be honest… but I've seen the bastard fight, and God he's good.'_

Watching Damien now, Cloud could almost believe it. The Lieutenant's walk was proud, powerful and so full of authority that _that_ fact on its own was enough to catch a majority of the SOLDIERs off guard.

"Please ensure you are standing before your allocated vehicles. Anyone caught attempting to board a vehicle other than the one they are allocated to will face strict reprimands," Damien called out loud and clear, "This is a matter of safety, which Shinra does not take lightly and nor should any of you. Do I make myself clear?"

There was a chorus of 'yes sir' as Damien made his way over to Cloud and Reno.

"Private Strife, Comrade Asshole," Damien nodded on approach. Cloud snapped to attention and saluted as Damien did the same, before the Lieutenant let out a snort.

"Oh Gaia Cloud, you're _gorgeous_!" Damien grinned deviously, "If this little bastard wasn't here I'd order you into the back of that truck and _ravage_ you!"

The blonde blushed furiously at this, letting out a nervous laugh along with it, but Reno shrugged it off.

"Go ahead. But whatever you do to him, he'll tell me, and I'll tell Fair," Reno smirked, as Damien screwed up his face and whined.

"He already lectured me about toying with his pets, "Damien pouted, before seemingly reaching a brilliant idea, "I wonder if that includes petting his toys?"

The Lieutenant then wriggled his eyebrows at Cloud and the blonde couldn't decide whether to be scared for his life or to simply laugh. Damien let out a soft sigh and his devilish grin faded into a soft smile.

"Sorry, a little overboard, you just looked nervous," the Lieutenant shrugged slightly, putting a hand on the blonde's shoulder and squeezing it gently.

"Zack isn't allowed to ask me to look out for anyone more so then the other, but Gaia kid, I'll do it anyway," Damien frowned slightly, turning to Reno, "Something about this isn't right, you know that too, yeah?"

Reno nodded, and the Lieutenant's frown deepened slightly. Cloud was almost completely blown away. It appeared that all of the First Class SOLDIERs had at least a mild case of bi-polar, but Damien was a prime example of the full blown thing. His theory seemed confirmed when the Lieutenant's grin re-emerged and he turned to face an approaching Turk.

"Leonardo! You spunk, where _have_ you been? We were waiting for you, you know," Damien drawled.

"You were?" The Turk asked, seemingly taken aback.

"No, you arrogant little shit," Damien snorted, "Move your ass over to your truck before I push it there."

Cloud watched with amusement as the Turk simply stood in confusion, Damien taking it upon himself to guide the Turk personally. Reno smirked to his left and the redhead gave a knowing smirk.

"He's not crazy really. Half of that over-enthusiastic shit eating of his is purely show," Reno explained, "I'd say he's just about shitting his pants and he's entirely ready to go the moment they give the orders."

"That's why he got picked," A voice said from the other side of Cloud, as both the blonde and his Turk companion turned to face their newest arrival. Zack was dressed in military gear, and Cloud was almost certain that meant that his friend was coming along. Before Cloud or Reno could speak, however, Zack shook his head.

"Junon. We have an induction parade, a new batch of thirds," Zack explained, "I don't have much time. Have you seen Sephiroth or the Commander?"

Reno shook his head, and Cloud frowned.

"Why would we have?"

"Listen, like I said, I don't have much time. Long story short, Wutai is a very, _very_ _bad_ idea," The Lieutenant frowned, "Sephiroth and Tseng are working their asses off to try and get it fixed, but something tells me they're not going to do it in time."

Cloud went to make a comment about the Lieutenant being vague, but once again Zack shook his head.

"I'm not meant to be here Cloud, I'll get into deep shit if they realise what I'm doing. You know that Red, right?" Zack asked the Turk, who seemed to pause for a moment in though, before nodding in realisation.

"What is it then, Lieu?" Reno asked, his thin lips pursing slightly.

"First sign of trouble at all, and I mean decent trouble, not your little bar spat or something," Zack's eyes then became desperate, "Both of you… get out of there…"

"What do you mean get out of there?" Cloud scowled, becoming thoroughly frustrated with the cryptic messages, "It's not like we can just up and leave Wu-"

"You can if you're not with Shinra," Zack interjected, and Cloud's jaw dropped, "Abandon, desert, just leave. _Please_ Cloud. No questions asked."

Cloud went to retaliate before Reno clamped a hand over his mouth.

"I'll keep an eye on him Lieu…" Reno nodded, just as a shrill whistle blew. Zack let out a soft curse.

"Five minutes guys, good luck," the Lieutenant urged, pulling both men into an awkward hug, and whispering "Come back healthy or so help me Gaia, don't come back at all."

Once Zack had pulled back and ruffled Cloud's hair once more, he'd left, and the blonde was left feeling as if whatever Wutai had to offer was a short step into his grave.

--

"Three days, at the least, and even then there are no guarantees…"

"Sir, surely you are aware of what this means to the company if it goes ahead."

"I am aware, yes, but if I do not gain the approval, I lose all rights to it," Rufus argued, holding Tseng's gaze fast, "I'm not prepared to lose that just yet Tseng."

"A board meeting, then?" Tseng frowned, and Rufus merely nodded.

"It would have to be done without my father there. His presence can be highly intimidating."

"You can hold a board meeting regarding such an issue without the president?" Sephiroth mused, speaking for the first time since he and Tseng had entered Rufus' office over fifteen minutes ago.

"It will be difficult. Like I said, General, it will be three days to get everything together," Rufus said firmly, "And even then I can guarantee nothing."

"Reno's going, you are aware of that, sir?" Tseng urged, and Rufus' lips pursed. It was no secret that the young Vice President treated Reno as if he were his own blood. They were as close as brothers, even if they had not been born from the same parents.

"I am now," Rufus replied coolly, "But, unlike you two gentleman, I hold every faith in Reno's abilities. If worse comes to worse, he'll get himself out of there."

Sephiroth began to pace as Tseng watched him curiously. On each turn, the general moved so swiftly that the leather coat around his body flicked slightly against his boots and made an odd sound. Tseng remained silent, as Sephiroth continued to pace. Rufus however, let out a soft sigh.

"Am I correct in assuming that the Strife boy is off to Wutai also then?" Rufus asked, and Tseng nodded on the General's behalf. Rufus raised a hand to his head and let out a low groan.

"They _had_ to get both of your little toyboys," The Vice President murmured, "But for at least a few moments, gentlemen, step back and consider the current circumstances. Rightfully, I do not have the capabilities of stopping this war anytime before three days. I do, however, have the right to withdraw certain members from the troops if I deem that in the best interest of them."

Both Tseng and Sephiroth turned hopeful gazes in the Vice President's direction, who rolled his eyes slightly.

"_But_, do you really want that? This is what you must consider," Rufus explained, "How would that look to Strife's fellow SOLDIERs, to Reno's fellow Turks? Do you really wish for either of the two to be resented so deeply by their peers, who may see favouritism in your actions? I believe you're both babying them."

"Is it not better than both of them injured or worse?" Tseng asked stiffly, and Rufus smiled softly.

"It's touching, it really is, but if we were able to hold the patience and willpower to simply wait those three days, and there was to end up no conflict at all?" Rufus asked, as Tseng and Sephiroth exchanged a glance, "I am not against stopping this war, quite the opposite. I simply wonder why you would want the pair of them to despise the two of you so much…"

Tseng fought back the frown threatening to engulf his facial features, as once again Rufus' detachment from society as a whole had left the Shinra heir's explanations far more logical than his or Sephiroth's ever could. But…

…_babying them?..._

Rufus was watching Tseng intently again, and the Turk Commander was well aware of the curious gaze that was held within the Vice President's eyes.

"It fascinates me, Commander, that a Turk of such a high skill level can be so ignorant of his own displays of emotion," Rufus remarked, no bitterness or sarcasm in his tone, "You don't believe you baby either of them?"

"With all due respect sir, no," Tseng remarked honestly, and Rufus reclined in his chair, placing his feet upon his desk.

"I look at it this way, and it may not be the way in which you would like it to be seen," Rufus shrugged slightly, "But Reno has become your second in command, and Strife has made it as far as second class SOLDIER. My father may be a moron, but he is highly selective in terms of how his security and safety is set up. Perhaps it's what arrogance gets you…"

Rufus' face darkened briefly, as he paused, before he offered a small smile.

"I'm rambling, forgive me," He smiled, darkness still lurking within his eyes, "The fact of the matter is, he does not hand out the SOLDIER uniform like candy canes at Christmas time. As for his Turks? Second in command is just as, if not even more prestigious, and it is a position he does not treat lightly. We're talking about two grown men here, Commander. Two grown, capable, and highly dangerous if the need calls for it, _men_. They're not boys, Tseng."

"They're young, Vice President," Tseng began, before Rufus let out a small snort.

"It's so easy to forget sometimes, Commander, that not a single one of us in this room is yet to hit thirty," Rufus sighed softly, "Yet look at us- Vice President of Shinra, Commander of the Turks, and General of the Army. Who would look upon us and see anything more than power, capabilities, and brute force, Tseng? Who would even refer to us as 'young' or 'youthful', after the things we have done, the things we have seen? No one would dare…"

Tseng held Rufus Shinra's gaze, not for the first time realising how true that statement was. Rufus was no more than a boy, still in the prime of his life and yet he sat before Tseng and Sephiroth, as well as the world, as someone who was so much older than his twenty years conveyed. Tseng's eyes then turned to meet Sephiroth's, who were seemingly reflecting the same situation. The General turned to face Rufus with a nod.

"What would you have us do then, Sir?" Sephiroth asked, as Rufus poured himself a drink. The heir took a long drink from his glass and raised an eyebrow.

"The only logical thing to do, gentleman," Rufus remarked, "Go and see them off."

--

Reno fixated a curiously concerned look on Cloud's features, as the blonde sat across from him in the back of the dinky old truck. It seemed as if Gaia was conspiring against them, as a light rain began to fall and create a soft ambience against the metal ceiling. The blonde SOLDIER was significantly paler than usual, and Reno couldn't help but feel that his presence was doing nothing to reassure the blonde in the slightest. The Turk's mind was, admittedly, a little unsettled itself. Something about the urgency in Zack's pleas for them to leave Shinra left him no other option than to feel unease at their upcoming mission. Naturally, however, he wasn't about to show any of the others this.

"Eh, rain, that'd be right," The Turk shrugged, pulling a cigarette from his coat pocket and lighting it, "This is what Gaia gives us for working in Shinra, eh?"

Reno then offered a lazy smile at his companions, as a majority offered shaky smiles in return. Cloud however, remained with lips tightly pressed together in an unwavering line. Reno doubted the extensive waiting was doing no good for the blonde either way.

_...Come on Damien, move your ass…_

The Lieutenant, by duty, had to make his route up and down each of the trucks carrying the human cargo, to ensure that everyone was present and prepared to the best of their abilities before that truck was allowed to move. Considering that Reno and Cloud were part of Damien's party, they were last to wait for the procession to move.

"Damien, move your ass!" A voice called from their truck, adding on a hasty "Sir!"

Reno looked down the aisle and was somewhat grateful to spot Mark looking mildly aggravated about three seats down.

"Yo Mark," The redhead smirked, and his fellow Turk gave a small nod of the head, "Figured you'd be driving one of these shit-heaps?"

"Apparently Tseng thinks I need more field practice or something," The Turk shrugged, "But I don't really wanna go to this shithole anyway… I got some bad feelings about Wutai. We always get sent out on the dangerous ones, have you noticed?"

"Yes…" Cloud said softly, before letting out a soft sigh and lowering his eyes once again, "When I talked about this with the General…"

"It was _you_?" Mark snorted slightly, "Should have known. Not often someone can convince the General to sign release forms for something like this."

Reno and Cloud both shared a puzzled look, before turning their gazes to Mark.

"What do you mean?" Cloud asked, and the Turk shook his head slightly.

"You must have thought this was under Zack's authority, right?" Mark asked, as Cloud nodded his head.

"Lieutenants can't override the General's authority when dealing with an overseas transit," Mark explained, "The only way we were ever going to this place was if Sephiroth gave the green light."

Reno watched with something akin to disturbed fascination, as Cloud's eyes glittered and swam with barely restrained tears, the blonde resting his palms against his forehead. The redhead thought of their earlier conversation and could suspect why.

"_It's like history repeating itself, you know?" Cloud wrung his hands slightly as he spoke, "What if something goes wrong? The last words we ever spoke would have been another Gaia damned argument. Why? All because he couldn't see past himself and his own needs again. For Shiva's sake Reno, Zack had to approve this because Sephiroth couldn't see past his own arrogant, clouded up mind."_

_Reno tried his best not to smirk at the irony of the blonde's last three words, as he offered some kind of comfort to the blonde. _

"_What if Seph did approve this, yo? Ya think it's a possibility? He cares, man."_

"_Oh please!" the blonde spat, seemingly overwhelmed with a mix of anxiety and anger, "He doesn't care, it's too hard of a thing for him to comprehend, selflessness. I'd love to be able to believe it Red, I would. But…"_

"_You can't?"_

"_I just can't…"_

The redhead threw the blonde a concerned gaze before leaning forward to whisper to him.

"Cloud, you alright?"

"I've done it again Reno," He murmured miserably, "I've gone and let my temper take a hold of me again and judged him before I even gave him a chance. What do they say? Forgiven not forgotten? It's like anytime something like this happens, I can't trust him because of what he's done in the past…"

"Hey, it's you know… common…" Reno struggled for the words, trying to find reassurance that he knew he'd be unable to provide.

"You guys can talk about it when we get back, yo" Reno shrugged, before Cloud spluttered slightly.

"If, Reno, IF we get back…" the blonde whispered, raising fearful eyes to meet the Turk's. Reno held Cloud's gaze for only a moment, before Damien was suddenly clambering onto the back of their truck, all smiles and cheerfulness. 

"Alrighty then," the Lieutenant beamed, "Let's get a move on hey?"

Damien banged the side of their truck several times before falling back onto the nearest bench as the truck jolted into motion.

"How is this Gaia forsaken _rain_?" Damien whined, seemingly missing the somber atmosphere in the air, "Look at me, soaked to the bone. Ridiculous."

It was then that Damien apparently took his first look at his truck companions and he let out a low whistle.

"Ah…" he said dumbly, before leaning back casually and smiling slyly, "How about some short stories for our ears only?"

A few of the faces in the truck turned to face Damien, and the Lieutenant got his all too familiar face that signaled he was about to reveal some kind of scandal.

"Anyone here ever heard of Rufus Shinra?" Damien teased, as several of the truck's occupants groaned and rolled their eyes. Although the mood was still gloomy, even that small gesture had started to perk the troops up.

"Oh isn't he _divine_?" Damien purred, before pausing, mouth hanging open slightly.

"Gaia, quick question, who in here isn't interested in details of a bit of man on man nooky?" Damien asked, as a few of the occupant's raised their hands.

"Firstly darlings, we're not bunking, ok?" The Lieutenant pouted, "Secondly, get off of my truck."

There were another few laughs from within the truck, and even Cloud sprouted a small smile. Reno shook his head slightly, a small smirk gracing his lips as he watched Damien weaving his story magic.

…_Thank Gaia for people like you, you crazy son of a bitch…_

The mood continued like that for a short time, as the truck convoy made its way to the edge of the Shinra barracks. It was as they passed the gates that the convoy ground to a halt, the gatekeeper apparently refusing them passage. Damien stood from his seat and made to jump off the back of the truck before an all too familiar figure appeared by the hatch.

"General Sephiroth, sir!" Damien said somewhat breathlessly, his posture becoming entirely rigid with his salute. The rest of the SOLDIERs snapped to attention also, whilst the Turks paid little to no attention. That is, until Tseng emerged by Sephiroth's side, causing the two Turks aboard to stand abruptly. Before anyone could say anything further, Sephiroth pulled himself up and into the truck, his eyes scanning the group and locking onto Cloud. The truck fell silent as they watched their beloved General approach the reluctant blonde to kneel before him. Reno bit back a smirk as the General placed a finger under Cloud's chin to make the blonde meet his gaze, and several envious gazes immediately flared to life.

"Cloud, before you go, I'd like you to listen to me," Sephiroth said softly, albeit firmly, "and not as your Commanding Officer. Do you understand?"

Cloud's eyes flitted between shock and curiosity as his cheeks flared.

"I think so, sir," the blonde murmured meekly, but Sephiroth shook his head.

"No, not sir."

"I think so… Seph…" Cloud corrected himself, as the General's gaze didn't move an inch from Cloud's.

"I do not want you on this mission, which must be apparent to you. But, I respect your decisions as a second class SOLDIER and my own feelings about this will not interfere with your desires and potential as a member of Shinra's elite. This is not only for rules of fair play, but also for your own happiness, which I would not jeopardize intentionally," Sephiroth paused, seemingly gauging Cloud's reactions. He seemed puzzled, however, when Cloud's eyes welled with tears and the blonde forced his gaze away.

Reno watched with growing curiosity as Sephiroth let out a soft sigh.

"Cloud?"

"I found out it was you who cleared the mission and all I can think about is what an ass I've been," the blonde sulked slightly, seemingly too ashamed to meet Sephiroth's gaze.

"General Sephiroth sir, we really must get going as soon as possible sir!" A voice called from the driving cabin, and the General tensed slightly. Reno's stomach tightened a little further with the realisation that Sephiroth was just as reluctant about Wutai as Zack had been. Rather then voice further concerns, however, the General leant forward and brushed the tears away as they fell from Cloud's eyes. The blonde let out a strangled sob before flinging himself at the General and wrapping his arms tightly around him, as if it would be the last embrace they ever shared. The thing that threw Reno, and undoubtedly the rest of the truck's occupants, was that Sephiroth returned the embrace with the same, if not a higher amount of vigor. The pair broke apart, before Sephiroth offered a brief but seemingly blistering kiss to the blonde, and a murmured 'be careful' before climbing off the back of the truck. Reno exchanged a thoroughly entertained expression with Mark, before the pair simultaneously snorted at the other second class SOLDIERs. Many looked to be on the verge of tears. Reno could only presume they were of heartache over the realisation that their General was well and firmly out of reach. It was then that Tseng gave a small cough, and Reno turned his gaze to him.

"Good luck on your journey Mark, Reno," Tseng said politely, before Reno stood abruptly, mischief on his mind.

"That's bullshit, Blondie gets a smooch and all, and I get a 'good luck on your journey'?" Reno sulked, rolling his eyes, "Fair play my ass."

Tseng raised an eyebrow at this and smirked slightly, before stepping towards Reno and clutching at his tie. He tugged the redhead closer to him, before his smirk became decidedly wicked and he captured the Turk's lips firmly with his own. Almost immediately, Reno granted Tseng's probing tongue deeper access, which Tseng took no time in taking advantage of. Reno, regardless of any inhibitions of public displays of affection, thrust a hand into Tseng's hair whilst simultaneously groping his ass. Tseng snapped back, eyes blazing with desire and smirked.

"Fucking tease," the Commander groaned, before prying himself from Reno's grip and forcing the redhead back into his seat. Tseng then cleared his throat, cheeks slightly flushed, before nodding politely at the truck's occupants. Reno smirked slightly at the dumbstruck smiles of his companions, before Damien promptly hit the deck. The redhead turned his gaze to a seemingly reassured Cloud and offered a shrug.

"They were bound to find out one day, kid," Reno shrugged, banging on the side of the truck as the Lieutenant remained unconscious on the floor.

--

**A/N:** Eh. Scarlett, I was right. lol


	16. Death

**Warnings:** Yada-yada, see previous chapters and such.

_Training- Chapter 15_

_Cloud and Reno head to Wutai whilst Tseng, Zack and Sephiroth do all in their power to stop an ominous approach of war._

"Never again…" Cloud murmured under his breath as Damien roughly patted him on the back.

"Eh, just a little motion sickness," Damien replied reassuringly, "We'll get you some tranqs for on the way back huh?"

Cloud gave a weak nod, pulling his legs to his chest and watching with interest as Damien moved over to the next SOLDIER, who was apparently even worse off than Cloud himself.

"I don't get motion sickness, but I hate the smell of the ocean, yo," Reno remarked from Cloud's left. Damien let out a small snort.

"That would be because you were born, raised and held in Midgar," The Lieutenant pointed out, "Your body wouldn't be used to the fresh air, Gaia help your sensitive little lungs."

Damien then pulled a face which clearly contradicted his believable sympathy, before offering the sickly SOLDIER a cigarette.

"Get this into you, you'll feel a little better," the Lieutenant smiled.

By this point, Cloud was thoroughly convinced that Damien had some form of Bi-polar disorder. After recovering from his fainting spell earlier in the day, the Lieutenant had spent the best part of three hours in a stunned silence, only speaking when spoken to. As soon as the troops had been required to board the boat to the Western Continents, Damien had re-animated and had been in a chirpy mood ever since. All he had said to Reno and Cloud was "Good Gaia, we need to talk later."

Reno seemed indifferent to the Lieutenant's odd behaviour, spending most of his travel time playing snake on his cell phone and chain smoking cigarettes, but the more that odd happenings occurred around him, the further convinced Cloud was that Wutai had been a horrible decision.

…_Why did Zack and Sephiroth freak out so much? Zack said it had been a bad idea and that Sephiroth and Tseng were trying to fix that… What's that meant to mean?_

Cloud let his legs fall back down so that they were flat, and continued to look out the porthole closest to him. It wasn't the best choice seemingly, watching the waves rise and fall with the ship only adding fuel to the fire that was Cloud's stomach.

"Urgh…"

"I swear to Gaia Blondie, you hurl on me and I'm throwing your ass off the side of the ship yo," Reno warned, his eyes slightly alarmed as the blonde paled significantly. The redhead managed to successfully pull Cloud to his feet and rush him to the toilets before Cloud threw up excessively into one of the bowls, Reno letting out a low whistle as he did so.

"That's nasty," The Turk remarked, before casually patting the blonde's back, "How come you never said you were prone to motion sickness before, yo?"

"I didn't think… it was important…" The SOLDIER scowled slightly, cradling the toilet in his arms. The redhead sighed beside him, before rubbing his temple slightly.

"Not important yo?" Reno urged, "You _have_ to tell them this kind of shit, or you're gonna end up with pissy superiors who are not gonna have all that much sympathy for you. Lucky we got shithead here to look after you."

Cloud smiled as Reno cocked a head at the approaching Damien, and rolled his eyes slightly.

"I saw that," The Lieutenant remarked, raising a brow in apparent annoyance, before grinning widely, "You're lucky I don't care about anything you say."

"It's not my words that get you, it's the actions," Reno teased, "I've never seen someone hit the deck quicker than you did on the truck ride over here."

"Gaia, whilst we're all here, how about a pow-wow?" Damien said a little too eagerly, taking a seat on the bathroom counter and crossing his legs over, as he propped his elbows up and waited for a response.

Reno gave a sidelong look at Cloud, and the blonde was a little unsure of what exactly it was that Damien wanted to know.

"O…k…" Cloud murmured hesitantly, as Damien produced a feral smirk.

"You _know_ what I want. Gossip, secrets, details… In fact, details can be as gloriously specific as possible," The Lieutenant nodded, eyes glazing over slightly, "Yes… that would be good."

Reno proceeded to flick Damien between the eyes, before the Lieutenant offered a startled "What?!"

"Cloudy boy here and his General have been dating for some time now. Those two hooked up before Tseng and I did," Reno shrugged, "I presume they fuck like rabbits and damn near devour each other, as two men of their hot little appearances should."

Cloud blushed furiously as Damien turned a heated gaze onto him, practically begging for more.

"Uh…"

"Oh don't give me that! _Details_!" Damien whined, "I want to know what he's like. If I can't have him, I at least want to know what I'm missing out on."

When Cloud remained awkwardly silence, his cheeks burning even brighter, Damien let out a small sigh.

"Alright, alright, give me the romanticals then. How'd it all start, you know, that kind of dull information," Damien resigned, and Cloud offered a small smile.

…_That, I can manage…_

"Training…" Cloud offered, as Damien cocked a brow once again.

"Training?"

"It's how it all started. I idolized him, thought he was amazing, and wanted to be just like him. Then I met him and he said he wanted to train me, for Zack's sake I think," Cloud shrugged, "So I started going to these one on one sessions. He'd kick my ass, insult me, and then expect me to show up to the next one. I hated him."

Damien gave a genuine frown of disbelief, but Cloud shook his head before he could say anything.

"No really, I thought I hated him. The thing was though, was that the more he pushed my boundaries, the more I wanted to push his…"

"So it became like a twisted little game of cat and mousey then?" Damien mused, as Cloud offered a brief nod.

"Yeah… Well, I guess… Until one day he was a total ass, really offended me, and tried to intentionally make me mad. I bit the hook, showed up to the next session, and he told me that I fought better when I was angry. I knew then he was toying with me," Cloud held back a laugh at the memory, despite the flush rising in his cheeks once again, "So, I caught him off guard, he got a little shitty at that, threw some more insults, and next thing I know, I've got him pressed up against a wall and I'm kissing him."

Cloud shrugged, as Damien's jaw fell open, the Lieutenant seemingly lost in the idea.

"No shit, you made the first move then?" Reno said with obvious surprise, letting out a small 'hmm'.

"Yeah, but he was quick to make a move of his own…" Cloud's blush returned with a renewed vigor, before he scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

"_Anyway_, that's not all that important. I feel fine now, how long till we get there?"

"No changing subject!" Damien gasped, seemingly re-animating himself once again, "What about your… 'first time'?"

The hunger for gossip in Damien's eyes was enough to make Cloud cringe back slightly, before an announcement came over the ship's speakers.

"_Fifteen minutes to arrival time. All scheduled and on duty SOLDIER or other Shinra personnel, please prepare yourselves for arrival. Once again, fifteen minutes to arrival time…"_

"Bastards…" Damien scowled, as Cloud thanked Gaia for her blessings, the Lieutenant turning to head for the deck.

…_Close call…_

"Don't think you've gotten out of it by the way," Damien scolded over his shoulder, "I'll be tracking you down later."

Reno offered Cloud a pat on the back, as the blonde let out a sigh.

"Don't worry, I'll feed him juicy details of my own," the Turk smirked, "He should be satisfied with the stories I have to offer."

"Don't want to know…" the blonde murmured, as he heard Damien barking at the SOLDIER's to 'Get their shit together'. They'd reached Costa Del Sol, and from there, there was an airship waiting to take them to the continent of Wutai.

…_We're just going as support; we're just going as support…_

It was a mantra Cloud had adopted, but it was little reassurance as his stomach tightened with anxiety. Reno had barely spun the blonde around before he'd thrown up again, a reminder that maybe his motion sickness was only half the problem.

--

Zack couldn't help but watch with a dark sort of amusement as Sephiroth tapped his feet slightly, his long legs bouncing up and down with the motion as the General stared blankly out the window of their limousine. Zack had been doing the same until only moments ago, his own anxiety chewing him up on the insides to the point he could barely think straight. Sephiroth was in full military gear, a sight that was not often seen, but rather than Zack's usual taunts of the General being a hardcore leather buff, the Lieutenant had simply offered his approval. Rather than Sephiroth's usual scowl of disapproval at Zack's antics, he'd merely offered a small nod of the head. From then, the pair had been silent. As far as the Lieutenant knew, it was simply because Sephiroth had just as much on his mind as Zack did. Zack now knew why Shinra had organized another third class batch of SOLDIERs to be inducted, and the thought sickened him to the core. Shinra had never expected them to return.

"…Lieutenant?" one of the car's other occupants offered. Zack turned a distant gaze in their direction and tried to register who exactly it was that he was talking to.

… _oh shit, I'm so out of it…_

"Yes Sir?"

"You don't look well," Rufus offered, "Would you like something to eat or drink?"

The thought of food at a time like this was, for once, enough to pale Zack even further as he offered a small shake of his head.

"Very well," the Vice President offered, tapping at the keys on his laptop, "Are you prepared for this little ceremony?"

"I have my speech and other documents, sir, yes…"

"That's not what I meant, Lieutenant," Rufus replied, his eyes lifting from his screen and meeting Zack's.

"I don't underst-"

"Mentally. Are you sure you'll be able to speak to your future third class SOLDIERs today, when you clearly have so much else on your mind?" Rufus asked gently, "Circumstances considered, it's understandable if you don't feel up to the task. I myself am a little distracted."

Zack had never thought of Rufus Shinra as an outright asshole, but today he'd been getting more of an understanding of him as a human being, and he wasn't entirely terrible. Rufus was a little on the odd side, that much was certain, but that wasn't to say he was incapable of thoughts or emotion. The Lieutenant was beginning to feel a little bad over how much he and Reno had joked about the chocobo fetish Rufus seemingly had, but he wasn't about to let Rufus know what they'd been saying behind his back.

"I'm sure I'll be fine, Sir," Zack nodded, as Rufus offered a small smile, his smoky blue eyes swirling slightly in thought before they turned back to his laptop.

Without raising his eyes again, Rufus then addressed Sephiroth.

"General, I imagine you are in much the same condition as your Lieutenant. I expect you are also ready for your speech," the Vice President remarked softly, "Unfortunately I must ask you to follow through with arrangements of you addressing third class inductions however. Your presence, whilst certainly powerful, would hold a much higher significance to this batch should you offer your words also."

Sephiroth showed no acknowledgement that Rufus had even spoken, before he gave a small nod of his head, and turned to face the Vice President.

"What is it that should be said, Rufus?" Sephiroth said bitterly, "'Welcome to Shinra, prepare to be fucked over?'"

That last statement certainly got Zack's attention, as he snapped concerned eyes to Sephiroth, who remained unwavering in his attentions to Rufus. Seemingly, Rufus' attention was caught also, his eyes meeting the General's with an amused surprise. The Vice President remained silent for a few moments, before nodding, "If you like…"

It was Sephiroth's turn to be caught off guard, as Rufus laughed lightly.

"I've sensed both yours and Tseng's hostility towards this company for some time, Sephiroth. To be blatantly honest, I'm not overly happy with it myself," Rufus remarked, as he frowned slightly, bitterness along his features.

"You're heir to the Shinra throne," Sephiroth paused, "And you don't want that?"

"That's the thing about being an heir. There's so little choice," Rufus stated simply, "What to wear, how to look, how to speak, what to know, what to do. No choice. Do you know what a life with boundaries and restrictions breeds?"

When neither Sephiroth nor Zack took a stab, Rufus smirked coldly.

"Resentment, gentleman. You come to despise everything you're made to do, because ultimately, it's not you who is doing it."

Zack turned his eyes to Sephiroth, who was still focusing intently on Rufus, and the Lieutenant was able to see then that both Sephiroth and Rufus had far more in common than either had ever really noticed.

"May I be blunt here, Sephiroth?" Rufus asked, before Sephiroth nodded.

"Of course."

"ShinRa Inc. has nothing but the name of the Shinra family. We're not the power here, you are. Imagine if you were to turn your back on the company," Rufus mused, a sinister hint of amusement flicking through his eyes, "How this company would be ripped right out from under my father's feet… How he'd panic as all these walls he's built up just… crumble…"

Zack began to once again rethink his outlook on Rufus.

…_Okay, maybe he's not a complete asshole, just only to certain people…_

"Where would that leave you, Rufus?" Sephiroth asked, leaning forward slightly, as Rufus waved a hand dismissively.

"Where would it leave me? I have a trust fund. Enough to keep me alive and comfortable. I'd be out of a home, I'd be out of a career, but Gaia," Rufus then paused, before leaning back and tapping on his keyboard once again, "I may very well be happy."

They carried on in silence for another ten minutes, before the car came to a halt, and the driver lowered the divider.

"We've reached the arrival point, Sirs," the driver said politely, "Shall I wait for the Turks to arrive?"

"I've got the army's two best SOLDIER firsts with me Franklin, I think we'll be fine," Rufus said quietly as the driver climbed out and opened the car door, "Thank you anyway."

The driver nodded as Rufus stepped out, followed shortly afterwards by Sephiroth, and eventually Zack, once the Lieutenant had managed to find some kind of grasp over the situation.

…_Is he suggesting that Sephiroth leave?..._

Zack couldn't help but get caught up in the thought of leaving. Of maybe settling down somewhere quiet by the sea, spending the rest of his life living off the land and the sea. He then got caught up in the idea of forever being on the run. As much as his fame across the globe had given his ego a bit of a boost, he was now only beginning to realise there wouldn't be a place on Gaia where he wouldn't be recognised, let alone Sephiroth. They were bound by recognition. Somehow, the thought of that unsettled Zack more than he was willing to admit. They were trapped.

--

The mood was a quiet one, the second class SOLDIERs standing quietly with Damien giving them a re-run of their mission details and what exactly was expected of them here. Cloud was toying with the hem of his shirt as Damien continued to speak.

"Keep in mind here, we're offering support. If any one of you so much as raises a weapon at a citizen of Wutai without them aiming one at you first, I will shoot you personally before any one of them gets the chance. We're not looking for conflict here, so get any images of bravado you may have out of your heads and pull yourselves together," Damien said sternly, "Each of you has a commanding officer ranked second Class Lieutenant, or Shinra Special Ops, better known as your Turk comrades. Every word that spills from their mouths you are to listen to. Why? Every word spilling out of their mouth is ultimately spilling from mine. Is that understood?"

There was a chorus of "Yes sir!" as Damien nodded at the troops. Reno cocked an eyebrow and raised a hand, as Damien immediately sighed and rolled his eyes.

"Thankfully for all of you, our little flame ball here is in my group, so nobody needs to pay any attention whatsoever to the bullshit he chooses to procure."

"I was just thinking, yo," Reno shrugged, "What are you expecting them all to do on disembarking? Pretty sure there's gonna be a group of hostile citizens that aren't easily gonna miss this big mother of an airship, and if shit goes down as soon as we hit the ground, I doubt those situated on the continent already are gonna get here in a hurry."

There was a murmur of concern amongst the troops then as Damien let out a sigh and leant in to Reno offering a dangerous look.

"What are you doing here Red, trying to scare the fuck out of them?" Damien scowled, as Reno shook his head, before standing and turning to face the troops.

"A fuckload of you guys still haven't had all that much field experience, am I right?" Reno asked, as several of the SOLDIERs nodded sheepishly.

"Damo here's pretty right in one thing, you gotta listen to what you're being told. As a Turk, I've seen a lot of fucked up shit yo. I mean, I've been ambushed so many God damn times that I've almost got a sixth sense for that stuff," Reno shrugged, "I'm not telling you to freak out or anything, but I'm also saying don't go out there with your heads up your asses. I'm sure you've all heard the story of the Wutaian War, where Sephiroth himself was caught unawares. These people are smart, yo. I can guarantee that ninety percent of them are smarter than every single one of you here."

The group fell dead silent once more, several concerned faces paling even further. Reno shrugged a little upon noticing this, and smirked slightly.

"I once got told something. There's a nice balance between being shit scared and being full of shit that you gotta take into consideration. Don't go in there expecting a peaches and cream welcoming yo. But don't go in there asking for war," Reno paused slightly, seemingly for effect, "Or these guys will give you what you're looking for.

"Ok, ok!" Damien clapped his hands anxiously, smiling widely, seemingly attempting to lift the spirits a little. Reno shook his head however, and clapped a hand onto Damien's shoulder. Cloud was close enough to overhear their exchanging of words, but doubted anyone else could.

"What are you doing here Damo?" Reno asked lowly, as the Lieutenant offered a stern gaze.

"I'm trying to make them feel like their not heading for their own graves Mister Doom and Gloom, what the hell do you think _you're_ doing?" Damien snapped, "You never heard of raising morale?"

"As a Turk Damien, we get taught some shit that you SOLDIER boys don't hear all that often. You've got the same feeling about this that I do or you wouldn't be so wound up about it man," Reno said firmly, "This shit's not right, and they need to know what that son of a bitch up top is trying to get them into. If Zack's giving me and Cloudy boy a request to get the hell out of here at the first sign of a problem, then I'm gonna be trusting his judgment."

Damien's eyes widened slightly in surprise, as he leant slightly closer to Reno's face.

"Zack told you that?"

"I'm looking after the kid for him and Stuffy-pants yo. He told us off the books that even kid Shinra is trying to get us the hell out of here. Sometimes you've gotta forget about standard procedures and take a little initiative. Eighty seven SOLDIERs died last year cause of little fuck-ups or not listening to orders, or being caught off guard. You know how many Turks died?" Reno asked, and Damien nodded.

"Not a single one…"

"That's right, yo. Not a single one…" Reno nodded, "Think on that shit. We get blown to pieces, knifed, beaten, kidnapped, a heck of a lot of nasty shit that no one should have to deal with, but it ain't that often that we get killed. Why? We're realistic. We get an idea of what to expect, and we expect it. We don't get caught off guard unless we're given false information. Don't do that to them."

Cloud watched as the two held each other's gaze for awhile, Damien's eyes flickering between annoyance and acceptance as he held Reno's gaze of self-confidence that what he'd said was right. Damien was first to turn away, and Reno squeezed the Lieutenant's shoulder as he turned to face the troops.

"Be careful out there. You listen to us, you should be okay. I'm not saying that's a guarantee. It doesn't matter what Shinra has said, what any of them have said, there's no guarantee that none of you will be injured or killed. Even though no conflict has been called, we're heading into hostile waters, and some of you still don't know how to swim them," Damien frowned, seriousness biting through every word, "We're SOLDIERs, we're Turks. We're Shinra's finest, Shinra's bravest, Shinra's best. But that doesn't make us entirely Shinra's. We're here as a family, as brothers, and sometimes brothers have to put their family above their paycheck. Look after each other out there, listen, and look, think. We've all got initiative, use it, and so help me Gaia; we're getting our asses out of there alive, understood?"

There was another chorus of "Yes Sir!" this time, somehow more confident, more ready, more accepting, and Cloud offered Damien a smile when the Lieutenant turned to face him. Cloud might not have been ready for this, but suddenly, he didn't feel so alone.

--

Reno flicked the cigarette from his mouth, the sudden onslaught of rain saturating the stick of tobacco to the point that it was beyond salvage. He threw a sidelong look at the two SOLDIERs beside him, one seemingly as laid back and collected as he was, the other shooting nervous glances into the darkness as the rain fell in heavy sheets, the water dripping from his helmet.

"Hey kid," Reno drawled, "Like I said before, no need to shit your pants. Just cautious and alert you know?"

The young SOLDIER nodded, as his fellow second class beside him stretched languidly. The troops had been in Wutai three days now, and had been far less than graciously accepted by the people of the nation. Each time Reno moved down one of the main streets, he was met with fear and apprehension, or outright loathing. He wasn't the only one however; each and every SOLDIER there had taken at least one verbal lashing by a local. Seemingly sensing Cloud's more docile nature, the people had thrown their abuse at him more often than not, and Reno could see it taking its toll on the blonde. Thankfully Damien had kept a tight hold on the blonde's morale and was continually boosting it with anecdotes and perverted humour, all of which seemed to have a small effect on the blonde's stamina. Cloud and Damien were on shift relief, after having spent the best part of 16 hours on duty. Reno was yet to take his leave, but that was to be expected of a Turk.

"I'm freezing my balls off…" The laid back SOLDIER remarked, as Reno snorted, raising an eyebrow.

"You're SOLDIER, man. You lost those balls as soon as Hojo started jabbing that green shit into ya. Harden up, it's just rain"

"You get showered with the stuff anyway. That's what I'll never get. We got all this shit running through our blood to keep us warm and shit, and you Turks don't even bat an eyelid if it drops below zero. I don't get it," the SOLDIER shrugged.

"Look at it this way, how many times you been shot?"

"Uh… none?"

"Four. How many times you been stabbed?"

"Stabbed? Uh… none…"

"Three times. Slashed?"

"Twice!" The SOLDIER grinned, finally happy of having battle scars.

"Twelve. Kidnapped and tortured for Intel?"

"Well uh…Never..."

"Twice. Seeing a pattern here slick?" Reno smirked, and the SOLDIER nodded, leaning back against the wall.

"It's just rain…" He shrugged, as Reno's smirk grew.

"Damn right."

They stood in silence again for some time, although if any of them said anything, it was unlikely to be heard over the pelting of the rain as its icy sheets continued to fall with no mercy. It was then that a thought began to sink in for Reno. It was night time, it was dark, low visibility, and there was enough natural noise to mask the snapping of a twig, or the cocking of a gun, or the drawing of a sword. If there was to be a fight, tonight would be perfect. The people of Wutai knew their land, they knew their vantage points, and they knew how the planet could work in their favour. The mere thought had Reno's senses heightening with little prompt. It was then he began to notice distant shadows moving soundlessly in the rain, slipping through the sheets as if they were oblivious to the biting cold. The little mako in Reno's blood stream that he did possess spun into life, and the SOLDIERs beside him looked on in concern as the redhead's eyes took on a light green tinge.

"You're greening man…" the shaky SOLDIER remarked, and Reno nodded.

"Something's telling me you guys should too. Heighten yourselves up," Reno remarked, "We have company."

The two beside him flared up almost immediately, as Reno tapped on the little one's shoulder and gestured for him to get to the others and raise the alarm. As the SOLDIER scurried off into the campsite, Reno and his SOLDIER comrade stood side by side, their mako enhanced eyes glowing out into the darkness, shadows moving in the distance that they were unable to make out fully.

"Got any tricks up your sleeves there Red?" the SOLDIER asked casually, as Reno smirked.

"Always. What's your name kid?"

"Jev. It ain't gonna matter soon anyway. How many of the fuckers you think are out there?"

"Eh, I'd say at least fourty."

"You better start pulling up your sleeves and taking some tricks out then, comrade."

Reno smirked and took out his pager, dialing #46*. He let it ring three times and hung up. Any Turk or SOLDIER in the area would have just had their cell tracking devices activated, and a text message requesting assistance for Reno himself. Sure enough, Jev received an alert and let out an impressed "hmph".

"Pretty neat trick, eh?" Reno smirked, as Jev shrugged, drawing his sword.

"If we survive. I'll pet your ego, how's that?"

"Deal."

Reno left his EMR clipped onto his belt and instead drew his pistol.

…_Fun times…_

Within minutes, there were second class SOLDIERs and Turks beginning to slink through the darkness, well aware even through the pelting rain, that they were surrounded.

"Red," A voice to Reno's left urged, "Move your ass over to section six, we'll cover it here."

Reno looked Damien up and down, flaring with Mako, yet still slightly groggy from lack of sleep.

"You look like shit, slick…" Reno frowned, as Damien gave an impatient flick of his head in the direction of section six.

"Move your ass Reno…" Damien said lowly. As the redhead moved past the Lieutenant, Damien grabbed his arm.

"Reno…" Damien urged, the redhead meeting his eyes, "Look after yourself you crazy bastard. This could get nasty."

The Turk offered a nod and saluted.

"You too, sir."

Damien offered a small smile, which Reno returned, before heading for section six of the camp site. His mind strayed to Cloud as a small blonde ran past, flared full of mako, yet face full of determination. He was tempted to head for section four, where he knew the blonde had been sleeping, but as he turned to head for that direction, the first shots were fired. Reno had little time to react before the next rounds were fired, little more coming from the darkness than the bursts of light from the barrel of the enemy's guns. Last time they'd fought the Wutaians, they'd fought with nothing more than materia and swords. Now, they appeared to be fighting fire with fire. Reno heard the distinct thud of a body hitting the earth nearby, and became aware that already a few SOLDIERs had fallen.

"Fuck!" he hissed under his breath, a bullet just barely missing his side.

There was chaos amongst the SOLDIERs as they struggled to fire at an enemy they couldn't see.

…_You'll all end up killed if you don't get some order into you…_

"SOLDIERs! Move your asses into ranking, steer clear of the lights, you're making it easier for them to spot you!" Reno called out, as several SOLDIERs took the initiative to take out the light globes by their heads. Finding a brainwave from the idea, Reno reached out into his pocket and took out a little rubber ball.

"Here goes nothing…" He murmured, pushing the small button atop the ball and throwing it towards where the shots were coming from. A few seconds passed before there was a large explosion, scattering shrapnel and illuminating the area with the blast. Several Wutaian soldiers hit the earth, and Reno managed to get a good idea of where at least seven others were. He cocked his pistol and fired where he'd seen them, hearing several cries of pain as he did so. Ultimately, it wasn't the wisest of moves, as he now had the focus of several Wutaians set squarely on him. He ducked and weaved through the discarded trees and other natural debris, managing to narrowly avoid several shots, before diving behind an oil barrel. Panting slightly, he turned his head to the side to see if the rain was looking to show any mercy, and found an injured SOLDIER lying in the mud.

"…Reno…?" the voice called, and the redhead dive rolled, narrowly missing another shot, to land beside the SOLDIER.

"Stress less man, you're gonna be fine," the redhead remarked, looking over the brunette's wounds. It had grazed his abdomen, but there didn't seem to be too much to be concerned over.

Reno cast a cure over the SOLDIER and pulled him under the base of a nearby cabin, as the SOLDIER clutched at the Turk's uniform and spluttered on some blood.

"What the fuck… is going on man?" The SOLDIER croaked, as Reno gave his shoulder a squeeze and shook his head.

"I dunno. Stay here, we'll send someone to get you."

Reno pried the SOLDIER's fingers from his jacket and crawled back into the open. The rain was easing just enough that the Wutaian attackers were easier to see, the shadows obtaining some shape and form as they continued to meet in battle with Shinra's defenses. Reno took aim at a Wutaian who was firing shots at already wounded SOLDIERs, and took him out with a swift shot to the head. As the body hit the deck, Reno swallowed down the nausea he got every single time he took a life, and loaded his gun for the next round. The battle was thinning. There were Wutaian soldiers retreating as Reno caught a flash of green sliding through the figures with a graceful ease.

…_No fucking way…_

Wutaian troops were scattering, retreating into the shadows, the rain continuing to fall at a heavy pace.

Reno continued to hold his pistol out, shooting at those he could see still daring enough to take aim at his comrades. As he ran, ducked and weaved through the Wutaian terrain, taking down those who crossed his path, his initial beliefs were confirmed. Sephiroth was there. Reno caught the glistening of Masamune as it slid through the pelting rain and then through the bodies of the unsuspecting local SOLDIERs. Even in their foreign tongue, Reno could hear the cries of warning, with the single word 'Sephiroth' recurring more often than not. Watching the General cut his way through enemy lines, Reno then became aware of Zack's voice calling from down wind.

"Fuckload of casualties here Seph, move your ass!" the Lieutenant urged, the familiar sound of a bullet ricocheting off steel only moments later.

…_What the fuck are they doing here?!_

There were calls from a Wutaian soldier as many of them returned, focusing much of their energy on Sephiroth, who seemed genuinely unperturbed by the onslaught of bullets. Reno took aim and fired at those daring enough to attempt sword-to-sword combat with them, but most had been injured severely enough before Reno even had time to hold a target. Sephiroth was amazing. Reno heard a call for help and spotted a heavily wounded SOLDIER holding a hand out in the redhead's direction.

"Go," He heard Sephiroth bellow through the night, his eyes meeting Reno's briefly, "I'll cover you."

Reno slid along the mud, almost clambering directly in to Mark, who was still providing cover fire for those recovering the injured.

Mark offered a shit-eating smirk as he tipped his head in Reno's direction.

"You love this bullshit don't you?" Reno called out, as Mark fired off another few rounds.

"Tseng's delusional man, I've got all the field practice I need. Start saving lives you lazy shit!" Mark cried out, hurling a grenade into a nearby group of enemy soldiers. Reno slid down beside his second casualty that night and was surprised to find it was the mousey SOLDIER from the start of the night, just as Mark's grenade sent shrapnel spiraling through the air and landing on top of them.

"Heya pipsqueak, hang in there," The redhead reassured, as the SOLDIER nodded, closing his eyes against the mud and blood and rain. Reno wiped some of the debris off the SOLDIER's face and looked around for the familiar red cross that he'd need to be heading for.

Then, in between the chaos, a known voice in an unknown language, and Reno faltered in his steps as another pistol was fired into enemy lines. Tseng was here too.

"Ah fuck me…" Reno murmured, his SOLDIER counterpart widening his eyes in concern.

…_Shit's going down…_

"…Nothing bad kid," Reno reassured as he cast a cure, "Relax."

Reno lifted the SOLDIER over his shoulder and ran for cover, knowing there was only so much that a cure could do. He headed for the temporary medical base in one of the nearest cabins and handed the SOLDIER to one of the base staff.

"It's a massacre out there!" He remarked fearfully, as Reno did little more than nod.

It had all seemed to happen in an instant, but the clock on the wall informed him that they'd been in battle for hours now, and that daylight would soon be breaking. The Wutaians would lose the cover of night, and their tactics would change. Sephiroth needed to act fast, but Reno knew that with both Tseng and Zack accompanying him, success was likely to be a swift one. Wutaians were a brave people, but they were smart, and they knew when a retreat was their wisest option. With a greened Sephiroth and Zack on the loose, as well as Turks up against them, the Wutaians would soon have little choice but to back down.

The cries of battle were softening and Reno could do little more but look out through the vantage point as the weather still played out its course. As he did, he couldn't help but wonder if half the comrades and Turks out there would make it back alive. He was a realist, he knew there was likely to be death already sprawling across the battlefield, likely to even continue to seep as he watched. It was this thought that drove him back outside, one of the medical staff calling out to him as he did so. Whatever they'd said was lost on Reno however, his thoughts consumed on ensuring that Cloud and the others were safe. As fate would have it, it didn't take too long for Cloud's wellbeing to be confirmed. As the last of the Wutaian rebels continued to retreat, Reno became aware of a strangled howl of his name.

"Reno! Oh God, Reno… _Reno_!"

The redhead turned to the sound of the voice and was surprised to find the strangled cry coming from Cloud. At first, he panicked, thinking the blonde must have been injured. The blonde was covered from head to toe in mud, his hair matted together as the rain continued to leak trails of dirt down his cheeks. Reno could see the blonde rocking back and forth, his eyes burning green, as the redhead approached him. Once he'd got close enough, he realised that Cloud was not injured, and instead was hovering over a pile of mud and debris, wailing hysterically.

"Cloud, Cloudy cakes …" Reno soothed, before his heart caught in his throat. The mass of materials before him was not in fact mud and debris. It was Damien. Reno fell to his knees, his fingers heading straight for Damien's throat, begging to Gaia that he was alive. It was there, a pulse, but it was faint and it was fading.

"Come on fuckwit, wake up," Reno urged, shaking the Lieutenant by the shoulders and tapping his cheeks until Damien's eyelids opened slightly.

"…Red?" Damien croaked, as Reno nodded.

"Stay still man, stay still. We're going to get you fixed up. We're going to fix this you hear me?" Reno rushed, as Cloud continued to shudder and sob at their sides. Reno moved his fingers to Damien's chest, where several bullet holes lay, and Damien snatched at the Turk's wrist.

Reno held Damien's gaze as the Lieutenant shook his head.

"Save it for the others…" Damien smiled, "Gaia forbid… we lose this war…"

"Shut up," Reno snapped, moving to heal the Lieutenant once again. Damien however, moved Reno's fingers to his lips and offered a light kiss. He then closed his eyes and Reno's hands slipped from his fingers. The Turk choked back on a stray sob, as Cloud burst into tears.

"Don't _do_ this to me Damo…" Reno spluttered, "You son of a bitch, don't _do_ this to me!!"

Reno shook Damien vigorously, as his eyes prickled against the still falling rain. The Lieutenant's smile still rested lightly along thin lips, as Reno clenched his eyes shut and fell against the still bleeding chest. He lay there sobbing, until firm hands forcibly pried him off. He fell into Tseng's arms, who offered little more comfort to an aching heart than a firm hug and a kiss upon the redhead's forehead.

--

Cloud continued to sit for what seemed like hours in the bitter cold rain, watching the droplets roll off of Damien's skin and onto the Earth below. He could still hear Reno's cries from the barracks metres away, and Tseng's answering snap at an individual to get outside. Death had never been a common thing in Cloud's eyes. Sephiroth, Zack, Tseng and Reno… They'd all had more than their fair share. Here though, Cloud had lost a brother, a best friend, a character in his life that was undeniably irreplaceable. The last thing he would ever remember Damien saying to him was '_Get back kid!'_ before pushing Cloud to the Earth, several shots then firing from the darkness as the Lieutenant's eyes had widened in alarm, his body falling to the ground in a graceful arc, just before Sephiroth had managed to sweep out the area. Cloud had clambered over to Damien's body and clutched the Lieutenant as his eyes had slipped closed; lying numb for some time before calling for Reno in a desperate attempt that _something_ could be done.

The fighting had all but ceased when Zack made his way over. Cloud raised his head to meet the Lieutenant's eyes, but Zack remained silent, his gaze never leaving Damien's face. His expression was vacant as the mako slowly bled from the depth of his eyes to be replaced with an emptiness Cloud had never wanted to see. It did nothing more for the blonde than increase the dull ache in his chest to a stabbing rhythm, as he sat numb from the cold. Zack knelt down and brushed a few stray hairs off of Damien's face, wiping the rain drops from his pale skin as he gently hoisted the Lieutenant's body from the Earth and slowly carried the limp and lifeless body to the infirmary. As he did, he passed Sephiroth, who stopped Zack and placed a firm hand on his First Class' shoulder, and offering quiet words that Cloud would likely never know. The General, still covered in mud, and vastly coated with his enemy's blood, knelt down beside Cloud and ran a gloved hand over the blonde's pale cheeks. Cloud's tears began anew, as he curled himself up tightly and sobbed.

"Cloud…" Sephiroth said firmly, "Come into the campsite. It's not a wise idea to stay out in the open."

The second class remained still and unmoving, as Sephiroth let out a sigh.

"SOLDIER, Damien was a fine SOLDIER and a reputable man. His passing has hit, and will hit many, but it will do his memory little good to stay out here and allow your own life to continue to rest on the line," Sephiroth said more firmly, forcing Cloud's eyes to meet him, "Get into the campsite Cloud."

Cloud's first reaction was of anger. What right did Sephiroth have to speak about Damien's passing as if it were as casual as discussing the rain? They'd just endured a hard battle, lives were lost, and here Sephiroth was with his flat tone and blank expression as if life to him was meaningless…

Cloud bit back on his initial reaction however and stood shakily on unused legs. He watched Sephiroth's eyes, a barrier so firmly planted above them that all that Cloud could determine was that what he was feeling was strong and waiting to be dealt with at a later time. This was what battle was about.

…_Putting aside the hurt and pain and thinking logically... _

Sephiroth took Cloud's elbow and steered him for the nearest cabin, assisting his shaky legs up the stairs and guiding him to the corner of the room, steering him through the wounded and the exhausted. Many of the fatigued SOLDIERs leapt to their own weary legs and saluted the General as he passed. Sephiroth gave an acknowledging nod of his head before lowering Cloud to sit. Cloud shivered slightly, tears mingling with the water still sliding down his face, as Sephiroth took a blanket and threw it over the blonde's shoulders. Cloud felt the brief running of fingers through his hair before Sephiroth turned and headed for the door, gunfire breaking out once more in the distant. The General threw a last look over his shoulder at the blonde before unsheathing Masamune and slipping into the breaking morning light.

Cloud remained cold and silent, nothing left within him, but to wait for Sephiroth's return, and a single line that would haunt him for life.

"_We're getting our asses out of there alive, understood?"_

By the time Tseng found him, Cloud had dissolved once again into tears.

--

**A/N:** =/


	17. Acceptance

Second last chapter. Maybe third last I'm almost excited. Just a pre-warning, I didn't go over this chapter 20 times or so like I usually do before I post. It's just I poured my everything into it and knew that I wouldn't like the outcome, so sorry if it doesn't work out quite like it should, or if there's a shitload of mistakes or whatever. Really. Sorry.

For Johnswinona, who knows the right way to get me to post: hassle, hassle, hassle. =P

_Training- Chapter 16_

_Cloud realises exactly what a war means to any individual, and the sacrifices we all make for causes we don't understand. Sephiroth starts planning the biggest decision of the rest of their lives and Zack leaves all of Shin-ra in a hazed confusion with the actions that he takes. As for Tseng, he realises that there will always be more to being a Turk than he can understand, and there will always be more to Reno than anyone in the world will ever realise._

**Warnings- See previous chapters. Thanks. **

--

They came in leagues, seemingly never ending, thousands upon thousands of Wutaian soldiers with a determination Cloud had never bore witness to beforehand. Cloud's beliefs had always been that the Wutaian people were that of a small nation, but seemingly they grew like a tidal wave, breaking across the shaky waters that had become Shinra's troops. Shinra had sent third class SOLDIERs and a handful of the first class elites to continue the battle, but fatigue was high and morale had fallen to an all time low. Sephiroth and Zack's presence had held the troop's stamina for the past few days, but the battle was looking to never cease. Each time a batch of the enemy were cut down or captured, they would regroup quickly, and the next barrage would come. Cloud had been fighting to the best of his ability, his body and soul weakened to a point of numbness, as each strike of his blade took down yet another Wutaian soldier. This battle in particular had been fierce. He'd heard Zack somewhere in the darkness, the weather continuing to beat down relentlessly as their enemy took a stronghold and used every advantage they had to its fullest. Cloud's mind was struggling to focus, knowing that somewhere out there, Zack was likely to be aching how he was. The Lieutenant had been distant and cold, almost lifeless, since the passing of Damien, and not even Cloud had managed to produce any response from him other than a tight hug and a kiss against the blonde's temple. Zack had held eye contact with Cloud for several moments then, lids heavy with exhaustion and emotional wear, before he'd retired to a cot for a power nap.

…_So this is war…_

"Regrouping! Section D, fall back! C, move forward!" Cloud heard Sephiroth bark from just a little further ahead. The last of this Wutaian group had fallen, and the General knew as well as anyone else that there would be more to come. Cloud registered enough of the information to realise that his group had just been relieved, before his fatigue set in abruptly, and he fell against his sword. He was pulled up by someone else in his group that he had yet to speak to, and the pair moved into the nearest cabin. Cloud leant against the wall and slid to the floor, his clothes dripping with mud and blood and rain. Everything in this place was choking the blonde. He'd never expected to kill so many, never expected to shed so much blood, to lose so many friends, to see Sephiroth in full swing General mode and not the hesitant affectionate type he'd grown to love… Then there was Damien, Zack, Reno, and Tseng… Nothing was how it was supposed to be. Zack had lost his flair, for how long, Cloud didn't know. Reno had become something frightening, seeking vengeance with a cool and calculated precision that was terrifyingly stunning to watch, and Tseng… Well, he'd been nothing less than his reputation that had been given to him. Cloud could remember the day that Damien had slipped into the Lifestream, and Tseng had found him in a mass of tears, shuddering against a wall. Cloud had looked up when Tseng's shadow had fallen over him and been taken aback with the bedraggled appearance of the usually pristine Commander. Tseng had crouched then, holding Cloud's eyes squarely, as he shook his head.

"Don't you dare fall apart on me too Cloud," He'd said quietly, "We're in the middle of a war. There's no time for tears when there are people out there right now fighting for us, fighting for victory, fighting for _you_ Cloud. Are you hurt or wounded?"

When Cloud shook his head, Tseng took him by the elbow and pulled him to his feet, handing him his discarded sword.

"Get out there SOLDIER;" The Commander said firmly, "This is what all your training has been leading up to. None of us wanted this to happen, but it's too late to stop anything now, so stop feeling miserable for yourself and start feeling useful."

Cloud hesitated, his eyes still brimming with tears, his mind foggy and uncertain, his legs shaky as he stood before the Turk, before Tseng gripped both of his shoulders and shook him hard.

"Cloud," the Commander said sternly, his eyes blazing, "Don't you _dare_ fall to pieces now. Pull yourself together and thank Gaia you aren't in _their_ shoes…"

Tseng then gestured at the dozen or so SOLDIERs lying crippled or unconscious, and Cloud nodded firmly, willing himself to do as Tseng said and pull himself together as his last few tears slid from his eyes. Tseng then pulled the blonde to him and gave him a firm hug.

"I'm glad you're alright," He murmured, pressing a kiss against the blonde's temple and squeezing his shoulders once again, "Stick it out just a little bit longer."

The cabin door then burst open and a Wutaian soldier was dropped on the ground at Tseng's feet, his hands and feet bound in a hog-tie behind his back. The SOLDIER who had dumped him there had a fierce glow in his eyes as he looked down at the muddy Wutaian, who did nothing more then stare up at Tseng with wide eyes.

"…Tseng…" the figure said quietly, as the Commander looked down at him with firstly shock, followed by a burning loathing.

"…Take him to section 2. Keep him in there, guarded. Don't under-estimate him, he's small but he's highly skilled. I'll be there in five minutes," Tseng ordered the SOLDIER, his eyes never leaving the muddy figure on the floor below him.

"…Tseng, please… Please… Have mercy…" The figure begged, as Tseng remained quiet, the figure being hoisted to his feet and dragged from the cabin sobbing. Cloud paused then, realising the enormity of the situation Tseng must be under. He had heard Tseng speak of how he knew almost every individual in the Wutaian army. Every slain body that the Commander came up against was likely to be someone he knew. Cloud choked back on the nausea and turned to the Commander with sympathetic eyes. Tseng, however, shook his head and urged Cloud outside.

"Remember, Cloud," the Commander said firmly, "This is a war. Hesitation could be at the cost of your own life. It is unfortunate, but at this time, it is kill or be killed."

Cloud nodded as he clambered outside and headed for the sound of gunfire.

Cloud hadn't seen Tseng since that day, but he'd heard the other SOLDIERs say that Tseng had been interrogating some of the Wutaian soldiers 'using any means available'.

…_War… hah…_

Cloud couldn't see what it was that he'd ever seen so amazing about the battle tales that Sephiroth had been involved in, but never told. He'd never known why Zack's face fell on mentioning conflicts he'd fought in previously. He'd never understood _this_, the death, and despair, and the hollow void of fallen comrades, brothers, friends. Now that he did know, that he had some small understanding of the much bigger picture, he wished that he never had. As he leant against the wall, his body aching and drained, his eyes drifted slowly closed to a sleep full of death and despair. Seemingly, there was no escape from it.

--

The conflict had died down to the occasional confrontation with the odd Wutaian rebel. The weather had been relentless for days on end, but for the first time that week, the rain had ceased and there was enough heat from the seemingly spontaneous sunshine to steam the grass, still spotted with blood and gunpowder. The irony was a bitter one. The one day that there had been a ceasefire called to gather the dead on each side, the sun came blazing in all of its glory. Despite the heat beating down upon them, there was yet to be anything in the world that would bring warmth back to Zack's body. He'd been numb since he'd stood over Damien's body, every moment the pair had ever shared flooding his head in that instant to the point where he felt he may break if he continued to think, if he continued to remember. So, he'd chosen to block it out. He'd chosen to stop thinking, to stop talking, to stop listening. Yet, here they were, lined up before thirty caskets, all ready to be sent back to Midgar, with Zack completely aware of who lay within one of them. Zack turned his eyes to Sephiroth, who had undoubtedly been quieter than usual over the past two weeks, and Zack could understand why. The reason they'd come to Wutai to begin with was a complex one, and had not been for the battle as Sephiroth had said.

Despite all of Rufus' best attempts, they had been unable to stop the war that Shinra had wanted. What Shinra hadn't expected was that the Wutaian people would realise what he was planning, and attack first. Sephiroth and the others had initially come to evacuate all Turks and any SOLDIERs that were willing to leave. The best Rufus was able to do was give clearance to evacuate any that he deemed to be at risk. Fortunately in this circumstance, Rufus was capable of deeming all troops there 'at risk'. By the time they'd arrived in Wutai however, battle had already broken out. They'd fought several battles since Damien's death, but it would be the one straight after that would stay with Zack forever. They'd just finished pushing the Wutaian troops back once more, and Sephiroth had been walking back to base by Zack's side. Neither spoke for a significant time, until Sephiroth had nodded.

"What?" Zack had asked distantly, blood still falling from his blade, mud still sliding into his eyes.

"I've made up my mind," Sephiroth had said quietly, "Rufus is a wiser man than his father will give him credit for."

"What do you mean?" Zack had frowned, his confusion shrouding over his mind in a thick cloud.

"If I leave and take him with me, would you follow?" Sephiroth had asked suddenly, and Zack's steps had faltered.

"Sephiroth?"

"Would you follow?" Sephiroth repeated firmly, stopping as Zack had, his eyes full of intent seriousness.

"Yes."

The troops, albeit fatigued and disheartened, were not stupid. Rumors had spread already of desertion within Shinra, and whilst many had whole-heartedly believed Zack may leave, none suspected Sephiroth. Zack didn't know whether to find this relieving or concerning. The troops clearly had faith in their leaders staying until the end to fight for their homeland, but were they really so naïve in their logic?

Zack watched with vacant eyes as the last of the coffins were placed onto the airship, a Shinra flag placed over the top of it. He choked back on the rising bile he felt, and felt a firm hand on his shoulder as Sephiroth held his eye contact. Zack's eyes watered, and he wiped viciously at his oncoming tears.

"I apologise Sir…" Zack coughed, standing rigidly upright as Sephiroth's grip tightened. Zack stood stunned momentarily as Sephiroth pulled the Lieutenant's head to rest against his chest, and rest a gloved hand on the back of Zack's head.

"There is no shame in human emotion Zachary," he said quietly, as the Lieutenant shuddered slightly in the General's half-embrace, his last resolves breaking as he sobbed quietly. The pair stood like that for a few minutes, the other SOLDIERs around them visibly filled with sorrow, emotion, and an undying respect for the fallen. Zack bit back on his sudden flood of rage, knowing full well that his emotions were raw and barely restrained, held back for too long and simply not embraced openly. But he couldn't hold back his comment as he raised his head from Sephiroth's chest.

"What the fuck was it even for, Seph? There was no need to be here. None!" Zack spat, as he turned to the SOLDIERs around them.

"What company _does_ this? They're meant to be a power company, not an empire! They're taking the planet and using her however they please. Look around you, at our fallen, at their fallen…" Zack shook his head, another bubble of rage rising within him, "What differences do you see? Appearances, right? Look at their blood on this earth. Can you tell theirs from ours? Would you be able to tell the difference between an anguished cry from one of their mothers, to one of our own? Would they not have left orphans like our men have?"

"Zack…" Sephiroth said warningly.

"No Seph, this is bullshit. They gotta get their asses out of their fucking cotton wool cocoons and wake up to reality," Zack continued, "We're all pawns. We're all pawns set up to protect a king from his oncoming fate. He'll fall. He'll fall one day soon, and there isn't a Gaia-damned thing any of us are gonna be able to do about it!"

"Lieutenant!" Sephiroth boomed, a deathly silence falling over the area.

Zack turned a fiery gaze to meet Sephiroth's and the pair glared each other off for several moments before Zack tore off his belt, his dog tags, and his patches, throwing them on the muddied ground.

"Not anymore Sephiroth…" He said quietly, "Not anymore."

Zack heard the murmurs spread like wildfire as he turned on his heel and headed for the medical barracks. Their eyes followed him each step of the way, as his heart pounded in his chest and ears, and his eyes stung with the threat of bitter tears. But he'd break no more for a company that had broken so many, and done so little in return. All he would do now was heal the injured, and leave when the moment arose. He pushed his way into the medical barracks and found Cloud redressing a SOLDIER's wounds. He almost smiled.

--

The blonde looked up as Zack approached and offered a soft smile, the darkness flitting across Zack's face unsettling him to the point of being unable to offer much else. Cloud then took in the rest of Zack's appearance, and his breath caught. First Class Lieutenant was required to wear their belt and arm patches at all times during combat, yet Zack was missing both.

"Lieutenant, you're not wearing you-"

"I'm just Zack, Cloud. No more titles, no more obligations, no more servitude. I'm my own person…"

Cloud watched with a frightened fascination as those last few words seemed to lift a heavy burden from the Lieutenant's shoulders. The blonde heard the airship whir to life just beyond the cabin's walls, and his heart faltered. The bodies of the fallen were headed back for Midgar. Damien was amongst them. Cloud couldn't bring himself to watch them gather and clean the bodies for departure this morning, nor could he see them boarded onto the airship. He'd spent the entire day tending to the wounded, and making repairs on their building structures, if nothing more than to avoid coming to terms with reality. Tseng was right. For now, he was a SOLDIER and he needed to act like one. Grief could wait.

The SOLDIER that Cloud had been bandaging slowly sat up and locked sad eyes with the seemingly distant Lieutenant.

"Zack, man…"

"Yeah Kimmo, I know."

"You're deserting us?" the SOLDIER asked, and Zack looked momentarily mortified.

"…Not you guys, Kimmo," Zack said, a scowl forming along his lips, "I'd never desert you guys. I'm just leaving Shinra. You guys are always going to be my brothers. I'll be here for you anytime you need me."

"We're in a fucking war man, how much more do you _want_ us to need you?" The SOLDIER spat, as Zack pointedly forced his gaze from him.

"I'll stay to help the wounded. But I refuse to fight for something I don't believe in."

"Just because you don't understand something, doesn't mean you can't believe in it," Kimmo argued, as Zack shook his head.

"I don't believe in dictatorship, or world domination, or the needless killing of so many people…" Zack said softly, "Fifty three so far, in this war Kimmo. I've either injured or killed fifty three people. Fifty three human _being's_ for Shiva's sake… What's in that to believe?"

Kimmo seemed to flounder for words, as Cloud soundlessly moved to the next person and began tending to their unconscious form. There was a silence hanging over the room, as several SOLDIERs continued looking in Zack's direction, before Kimmo uttered a few words.

"I'll miss you, man…"

"I'll miss you guys too," Zack said simply, softly. To Cloud, at that point, there wasn't a need for any more words from anyone. To everyone else in the room, it seemed to be the same, as the silence lingered long after Zack began tending the wounded.

--

…_Zack… left Shinra?_

The thought had hit Cloud like a brick wall, and lingered even as he mechanically dressed and assisted the wounded. If the second in charge of the army could leave, what was stopping him, a nobody second class?

…_Sephiroth…_

Nobody liked war. Cloud even doubted Sephiroth's willingness to participate in them. Yet, the General was here, and he was fighting, and Cloud was intending to show that he could do the same. Since Tseng had taken him aside and given him a firm reminder to grow up, or go down quickly, Cloud had strived to do nothing more than prove to the whole army that he was just as capable as the rest of them. His fierce determination had found him in situations he had never before dreamed of putting himself in and undertaking tasks he had never dreamed possible. His mother had always said he was too gentle for the real side of the army, with the blood, the killings, and the taking of human life. For a long time, Cloud had believed that his mother was right. He had taken a long time to take his first Wutaian life. With every attack he had dealt on his first day of conflict in the foreign nation, his mind would not allow him to do more than injure, subconsciously knowing that every life he stole was that of a human, of a loved one to a Wutaian person. So, he'd injured, and let Gaia take control of where the individual's life would go from there. He'd believed that if he took no responsibility, the blood would wash free from his hands.

But it never would.

It didn't matter if he'd taken a life or not, he was soaked with the memories and the bloodshed of war. He was a soldier, and he had spent the better part of the last few years training. Training for this. Training to kill.

"Hey man, you ok?" The SOLDIER he'd been tending asked, resting a hand on the blonde's forearm. Cloud offered a shaky smile, as the SOLDIER shook his head slowly.

"Man you look like shit. Like you saw a ghost or something…"

Cloud turned to look out the window, and found his own reflection staring back at him from the glass, as the clouds outside began to roll in once again. He was pale, he was weak, and he was lost in something he didn't understand. He'd reverted momentarily back to how he'd always been as a child, as a teenager, as a cadet. He shook his head and willed the colour back to his cheeks, focusing on the task at hand.

"I think that maybe I just did…" The blonde said quietly, continuing to dress the wounded.

--

Tseng was 'missing'. For most of those in the immediate area of Shinra's forces, panic was rising. The Turk Commander's disappearance was noted after they found the unconscious body of a Wutaian soldier in the interrogation room, but no Tseng. The discovery had come four hours ago now, and whilst many looked to Reno for answers, the redhead offered no response. This only lead Sephiroth to believe that the Commander was alive and well, and simply did not wish to be found. SOLDIER and the Turks were gradually falling apart, the fine stitching keeping everything together finally beginning to fray and snap. Zack had left SOLDIER and was now in the infirmary, assisting Cloud and the others with the wounded. Reno could not be controlled, listening to no one other than Tseng himself and taking reckless actions to achieve results, seemingly no longer having a concern for his own personal safety. Tseng was ruthless, taking lives with an increased vigor, each body he felled bringing a dark intensity to the Commander's eyes that Sephiroth had noticed from the moment they'd set foot in Wutai, and so had the SOLDIERs. The General headed for the ancient caves to the west of their base, knowing full well that the cease fire would continue until dawn the next day, and the Wutaian people damn near always held their word. A few of his second class SOLDIERs began to follow, seeking his guidance, and loyal to him until the end, but the General simply held up a hand and shook his head. The SOLDIERs nodded respectfully, and headed to their quarters.

Within fifteen minutes, Sephiroth had reached his destination. Along the Western coast of Wutai, rock structures towered high and strong, standing in their regal positions for as long as the Wutaian people had kept note of their history. Caverns and cave structures were scattered throughout the structures, many of them untouched by man and left in their stagnant beauty. Walking along the ridges of the structures, Sephiroth came upon some recently disturbed ground, and freshly made groove marks in the wall. He crouched as low as he could and leapt upwards, falling just short of the top, before swinging himself onto the ledge. He heard a small "hmph" of amusement as he landed, and found Tseng perched on the cliff face, looking out across the ocean, his back facing the General as Sephiroth approached him.

"I thought I may find you here," Sephiroth said quietly, knowing that Tseng's love of wide open spaces and heights were much like his own in times of thought and reflection.

"I'm going back, you need not have worried."

"Who said I was worried?" The General remarked, taking a seat to the Commander's left, and embracing the light whip of the ocean breeze against his skin. It was a surreal feeling, sitting on the edge of a cliff and watching the waves ripple along the ocean, birds soaring through the open sky, as only a few kilometers away, two armies prepared for war.

"Your brother…" Sephiroth began, but Tseng let out a scoff.

"Is just like my father."

Sephiroth let out a small sigh.

"Yes, except your brother is still alive and well, and I can understand that perhaps you might have been a little perturbed by his re-emergence."

"It's been twelve years since I've seen him, General. Twelve long years remembering a young boy that was full of life and love," Tseng frowned thoughtfully, continuing to look out across the waves, "And my long-awaited reunion ends up being him sprawled out across the floor at my feet, covered in mud and the blood of our men, begging for his life... Begging for my mercy…"

The pair sat in silence for a moment, Sephiroth allowing Tseng the time he needed before he said anything further.

"I spared him his life…" Tseng said quietly, "When so many others I have slain with my own hands."

"It is understandable to care more for your loved ones than strangers."

"I am sure that those I have killed before have had loved ones of their own."

Sephiroth nodded slightly. More recently, he had been thinking more of mortality himself. Of taking the lives of people who had meaning to others. He'd come across the body of a slain Wutaian soldier, clutching a photograph of a youthful woman to his heart, his body drained of the blood he once held, his heart that once belonged to his loved one refusing to beat, and Sephiroth had faltered. His thoughts shifted immediately to Cloud. What should the General do should any serious harm, or Gaia forbid, death, come to the blonde?

"You'll be leaving, won't you General?" Tseng asked simply, as if enquiring about the weather.

"Yes I will."

"You'll be taking Zack with you?"

"Yes."

"…and Cloud?" Tseng's voice fell even softer on his last enquiry. Sephiroth turned his eyes to meet the Commander's. For once, Tseng's eyes were open and warm, his guard dropped entirely in his thoughts.

"Yes I will. I see this upsets you."

"No point in denying that," Tseng said quietly, "I will miss him very much, as I will miss both you and Mister Fair."

"Do you still harbor feelings for him?"

Tseng smiled softly at this, and nodded slightly.

"I always will, but Reno is what I live for, and what I will undoubtedly die for. I'm sure you know how that feels."

Sephiroth gave a small nod of his own, watching as a gull dove into the waves and re-emerged with a fish of some sort, before soaring back into the skies.

"I'll take care of him…" Sephiroth said suddenly, the words falling from his mouth with little will of his own. Tseng smiled at this, placing a hand gently on the General's shoulder.

"You've both changed. I have no doubt you can look after each other now…"

Cloud had changed; Sephiroth had become very aware of that. He was at a conflict with his own emotions at whether or not Cloud's changes had been overall good or bad, but to not see the differences in the blonde would require an individual to be blind. It was as if a part of Cloud kept dormant for a majority of the boy's life had suddenly burst from its cage and unleashed itself on the world. Cloud had a fire in his eyes that Sephiroth had never seen before. His confidence had sky-rocketed to a point of a true SOLDIER fighter, his physique was more toned and defined with his excess sword usage, and he had little hesitation on the battlefield, fighting with power and confidence that Sephiroth had not seen exhibited by the blonde on any previous occasions. Cloud was a SOLDIER. A part of Sephiroth was immensely proud, both of Cloud, and for Cloud. The boy had always strived to be exactly this. Strong, calculating, menacing; a true SOLDIER warrior. Another part of Sephiroth was aroused and almost infatuated by the sex on legs that Cloud had undoubtedly merged into, both in physique and quirks. Then there was another more niggling part of Sephiroth that could see the traits of Cloud's that had been crushed and bruised by war, and that was hesitant to accept that Cloud had grown up.

The boy's gentle nature was still there, but it was hidden under a fiercely guarded mask. His eyes that once shone with youth and a naïve hope of peace in the world, now glowed with mako and a clear bite of bitterness and hurt that Sephiroth knew would never entirely fade. The last Sephiroth had spoken to the boy, Cloud had offered no physical signs of affection to the General, whereas he would normally resolve to at least a brief hug. This time however, he had nodded a polite greeting to the General and a soft smile.

"You did really well out there today, General. The majority of us were thoroughly impressed," Cloud had said quietly, and Sephiroth had brushed the blonde's cheek, Cloud nuzzling slightly, before seeming to snap back to reality and pulling away.

"How are you Cloud?" Sephiroth asked, slight concern lacing his voice.

"I'm… fine… thanks Sephiroth…" Cloud offered, a weak smile gracing his lips, "I'm actually heading on to the infirmary. I hope you'll excuse me. Be careful, ok?"

Sephiroth had watched Cloud leave, a frown toying along his lips as he contemplated the significance of the pause within the blonde's response.

"He's a SOLDIER now," Tseng mused, his eyes focusing intently on the General's features, "You couldn't have expected him to stay a boy for the rest of his life. This is what he chose."

"I think that he chose this path without any true concept of what it involved…" Sephiroth said quietly, before the pair fell silent once again.

It remained silent for some time, before the distant roll of thunder broke across the clouds, and the heavens burst open with a seemingly relentless downpour. Sephiroth watched as Tseng tilted his head back and closed his eyes against the pouring rain, his suit leaving small trails of diluted blood to run off the cliff side and into the ocean sprays below. Sephiroth himself felt the reminder of his own actions slipping onto the stone and fading into the ocean below, the place where they sat now lightly coated with the blood of the fallen. Tseng then murmured in his native tongue, which Sephiroth managed to pick up, even after the better part of ten years not speaking the language.

"The blood of our enemies remains the blood of our own. When they bleed, we bleed with them. With each tear they shed, our eyes are brimmed with their sorrows. With each battle they lose, we have surely not won…" The Commander paused, removing an object from his coat.

Sephiroth noted that it was a badge from a Wutaian uniform, the seal of their emperor, spotted with a crimson substance likely to be blood. Tseng then removed his tie, the Shinra emblem printed numerous times across his surface. The Commander's nimble fingers placed the badge within the tie, ensuring that both were bound as tightly as physically possible, before standing on the cliff edge and hurling the item across the sea. Both men watched as it made a barely noticeable ripple along the water's surface, the rain already disturbing the water to a disturbing degree.

"… And when their bodies fall into the earth, into the mud, into the water," Tseng murmured softly, still in his native tongue, "We fall, we slide, we sink with them…"

Sephiroth then stood, the rain sliding down his cheeks and numbing them slightly with the biting cold, and turned back to camp. Tseng was right behind him.

--

"The others, I can understand," came the softly spoken plea, "You never were one to open up. It's what made you a good Turk to begin with. But surely, of all people, you would chance to speak with me?"

The redhead said nothing, only shifting slightly as the Turk Commander sat beside him on the rickety cot, and a warm hand ran fingers through unbound red locks. Reno felt no need for talk. Tseng knew what was wrong, there should be no need for questioning or probing to the extent that the Commander was going to. The rain was pounding against the iron roof of the quarters that Reno and sixteen other SOLDIERs were crammed into.

… _Twelve… there's only twelve…_

Every day there was the reminder to the redhead that there were people who entered this war who were no longer alive. There were people who came in bounds of energy and self assurance, who had left in body bags, their dog tags clasped in cold unmoving fingers, to be given to their relatives.

"The General is concerned that your behaviour is becoming erratic and uncontrolled. I'm told you no longer take orders off him or the Lieutenant…" Tseng frowned slightly.

"He ain't the Lieutenant anymore, yo," Reno replied finally, "He left. You and I both know that Sephiroth and Chocoboy will be heading off soon too. They'll slink off under the cover of nightfall, and Shinra's gonna fall to shit."

Reno toyed with the stitching on the bottom of his now tattered and muddied shirt. Nothing was clean anymore. The mud and onslaught of rain had made sure of that, as well as the steady stream of Wutaian soldiers that Reno had knocked down.

"They'll have little problem disappearing here. Sephiroth knows his way around Wutai as well as I do. He's spent much of his childhood here, as well as his past experience with war here," Tseng nodded, "They'll slip un-noticed, I presume."

"They'll be reported missing and we'll have to look for them. Us, sent out to kill our own Gaia damned men," Reno laughed bitterly, "And if we try any of that shit on Sephiroth, you know he'll kill us. Goes right into defence mode and becomes crazy fucker of the year."

Tseng smiled at this, and Reno's shoulder's almost immediately un-tensed at the sight. Noticing this, Tseng placed a gentle hand on the redhead's shoulder and kneaded it slightly. Reno let out a low moan, thanking Gaia that no-one else was in the cabin at that time.

…_All he has to do is touch me and I fall apart at the seams…_

"You're tense," Tseng stated, his smile turning slightly more evil, as the redhead scowled defiantly.

"You _know _what you do to me…" Reno muttered, as the Turk Commander continued to knead his shoulder.

"I want information. I'll use any methods of getting it. How else do you think I made it to the position I'm in?"

"By being pretty?" Reno raised an eyebrow, as Tseng bit back on a laugh, drawing another groan from the redhead.

"Only partially," Tseng teased, as the redhead leant a weary head against the Commander's forehead and held Tseng's gaze.

"I swear you make me a pansy…" the younger Turk blushed slightly, seemingly grumpy at his vulnerability with his lover. Tseng's smile softened, as his hand slipped back into the Turk's hair.

"When was the last time you slept?" The Commander asked seriously, "You're exhausted."

"Coming on four days now," Reno shrugged, sitting back up, "Don't need sleep."

The truth was that Reno was on breaking point. Turks were trained to go for days upon days with no sleep. But, they were accustomed to at least bouts of rest. This was the first time since Damien's… passing… that Reno had chanced setting time aside to just… sit. Sleep was available. He was well aware that there were routine shifts being taken to fight in battles, yet the redhead stayed fighting. Fighting the enemy, fighting fatigue, fighting himself. The honest truth was that sleep scared him. Each time he even allowed himself the luxury of even day dreaming, visions clouded his mind of the six or seven years now that he'd spent with Damien, and each regret he'd had, each mistake he'd made, each moment wasted on arguing with him. The Lieutenant, although not a Turk, was the next best thing to family that Reno had. Reno choked back on the sudden wave of emotions cloaking him in his own mind, and bit back on the anguished cry he'd held back since he'd found Damien soaked in his own blood. Instead, he leant forward suddenly and vomited violently, as Tseng, seemingly un-phased, rubbed soothing patterns on the redhead's back.

"Do you know what this is Reno? It's your grief punishing you for pretending it's not there," The Commander said softly, "just because you are a Turk, does not mean you are not a human being. Bloodshed will do nothing for your conscience in the long run… Believe me…"

Reno rested his head against sweaty palms and weakly continued to fight the onslaught of memories and feelings, before he felt Tseng's hand firmly on the back of his neck, and then… nothing…

--

The sun's feeble attempts at breaking through the clouds were the army's only knowledge that sunrise had arrived. The SOLDIERs woke abruptly, as if an inbuilt alarm willed them to rise, and found their General waiting outside, his eyes set firmly on the horizon, the Turk Commander and Cloud Strife by his side. The three had little time for sleep, their minds wracked with what they knew was to come. The re-emergence of war was not to be accepted, merely expected and dealt with as efficiently as possible. Those who came out earliest would have found second class Cloud Strife still firmly pressed into the General's chest by Sephiroth's fingers themselves. Should they have overheard the conversation between the pair, they would have known that their General was not as hard and immune to hurt or pain as they had always believed. They would have heard the General beg his lover to rest, continue assisting in the infirmary, anything to keep him from battle for this one last time. Had they heard the blonde's response, they would have heard a soft 'hmph' followed by the reassurance that he was a big boy now and could take care of himself, the General need not worry. Anyone watching would have seen the General's lips press against the blonde's forehead then, as he reluctantly let the blonde go, before turning to discuss details with the Commander. Anyone who saw or heard any of these things, would not have dared mention it to anyone, well aware that what they had seen was the General in a very private moment with his heart momentarily on his sleeve. Anyone who saw it would never forget that their General was human, and would forgive him eternally for any actions he took then on. And they did.

--

Tseng's mind drifted briefly to Reno, the redhead still unconscious in the infirmary, by the Commander's own hands. The redhead was beginning to go into shock, and Tseng knew that with the mako in the redhead's body, should he fall unconscious quickly enough, the redhead would be spared the drama of shock treatments and exhaustion.

…_Perhaps now he shall rest…_

He ordered one of the men on duty in the infirmary to ensure that Reno continued to sleep through the day's battles, at any cost. He need not know of the further bloodshed that would occur today. His dreams would come to him, and he would surely find some sort of comfort in allowing his grieving to be freed into his sleep. Thoughts of Reno quickly faded however, as the air around them seemed to still, Sephiroth unsheathing Masamune, allowing his SOLDIERs to know that they were no longer alone. Cloud was a little further down the ranks, and Tseng saw the fire flaring in the blonde's eyes, aware now of what Sephiroth had grown concerned of. If they were to leave, it would have to be soon, before Cloud lost himself entirely in his increasing lust for blood.

"Sephiroth…" Tseng said quietly, noticing the faint smell of smoke somewhere in the distance.

"I highly doubt it is coincidence, Tseng," Sephiroth replied calmly, "It is difficult not to be suspicious."

The smell was a thick one, strong enough to be smelt through the drizzling rain, as it continued to fall at a softer rate than that of its previous attacks. Tseng drew his pistol, as well as a dagger from the holster by his ankle. Close combat was likely in this conflict. The Wutaian people were growing restless, their numbers falling rapidly in comparison to the Shinra forces, as Sephiroth undoubtedly made a furious impact on the lives lost. Late last night, Sephiroth had received a phone call from the president himself, congratulating the General on the amount of casualties he had managed to secure regarding the enemy's forces. Sephiroth had hung up abruptly afterwards, instructing one of his First Class SOLDIERs to take any phone calls regarding the president from that point on. Zachary Fair was continuing to help in the infirmary, much to the dismay of many of his men, who were disheartened by what they saw as a betrayal from not only one of their superior officers, but one of their friends.

"Be prepared, they're getting close now," Sephiroth said firmly to the waiting SOLDIERs, many of whom seemed to have little thought other than death on their minds, as the remainder seemed to do nothing more than fear for their own lives. There was then a whistle though the air, as a small smoke trail was spotted several metres away.

"Fuck…" Tseng murmured, before heading to his left as Sephiroth bellowed a "scatter!" to the forces. Scatter they did, narrowly avoiding shrapnel as the first of many rocket launched missiles hit their base.

There was a roar from the Wutaian troops, gathered in their hundreds once more, as they emerged over the hills and valleys, their weapons glinting slightly in the breaking sunlight, their rockets sailing through the air at an increased rate, as the Shinra forces scurried about like a disturbed ant's nest.

"Move forward! Don't stand still!" Sephiroth barked, as Tseng watched his Turks already moving into action, slinking through the grounds silently, his snipers taking vantage points on roofs. Wisely, they stayed in places where they could avoid missile fire with a simple dive roll, should the need arise. They were thinking ahead already. His gunmen were charging forward, taking shots from mid-air maneuvers, as their bodies slid through the air and rain as if it were non-existent. They appeared weightless, their bullets firing at a steady pace, several Wutaian warriors being hit by gunfire before SOLDIER could get their first hit in. When they did, they hit with force. Sephiroth lead the charge, Masamune whistling through the air as it slid through bone and sinew, Wutaian warriors scattering as they saw the fiery glow of the mako within the General's eyes burn with an intensity they were not yet accustomed to. Tseng's heart then stilled, as another flash of mako green slipped past him, filled with brimming tears as a pistol fired shots into the enemy, a sliver of fiery red catching his attention.

"Reno!" Tseng called, but the redhead paid little attention.

At the end of this battle, Tseng would personally murder those left in charge of subduing the redhead, but he could do little more than watch as his lover leapt into the midst of the battle, firing shots and meeting the strikes of the enemy with his EMR. He then watched with a wide eyed shock as the redhead spun mid air, lunging his EMR into the midst of a large puddle where several Wutaian warriors stood, before exploding a charge into the ground, his body still in mid air as the Wutaian men around him fell, allowing SOLDIERs to move forward when the charge was removed and efficiently end their lives.

… _Gaia, he could have gotten himself killed…_

Tseng fired shots into several more Wutaians, as he saw an equal amount of SOLDIERs fall at his countrymen's hands. The battle was well matched this time, both sides now knowing what to expect, and well aware of the other's weaknesses.

"Fucker!" he heard a familiar voice cry out, as he saw Cloud take down another Wutaian SOLDIER, the blonde's abdomen apparently grazed by a bullet, as he swiped viciously at the wound and scowled at the blood he found, before swiftly moving on to the next victim.

…_He's a machine now…_

Tseng had not lied to the General when he said he would always have feelings for Cloud. He could see now that the blonde would have been molded into an excellent Turk, should Tseng have ever gotten his claws into him. He could also see that if Cloud were a Turk, he never quite would have been Cloud again. Somehow, things were working out for the better, even if they were all falling to shit right now.

Tseng narrowly missed a bullet then, and realised that his thoughts were becoming a dangerous distraction. He fired off more shots, missing several, but managing to hit three. Everywhere he turned, he saw familiar faces, familiar bodies that were slain and lifeless, and they were from both sides. Everywhere he turned; it was his family, his friends, his blood, his people, his comrades.

…_Gaia… when will it end…?_

Tseng then felt another stab of fear as he heard a string of curses from another familiar voice, before watching a streak of red disappear amongst a throng of Wutaian warriors. His heart stilled with his body, as he fired shots at his countrymen, watching some fall, but still not holding sight of the redhead.

"Reno!" He bellowed, but there was no audible response reaching his ears.

He saw a flash of silver, as Sephiroth appeared, having noticed Tseng's situation and promptly fighting off the Wutaian forces where the redhead had disappeared. Tseng was forced to look away, having being attacked from his side. When he turned back, Sephiroth was gone, and with still no sign of Reno, Tseng was expecting the worst. His heart constricted momentarily, before he continued to fiercely fight, his gun firing bullets almost as quickly as he was reloading them.

--

Eight long hours later, the firing had ceased for the time being, the Wutaian troops retreating, and the Shinra forces using this opportunity to gather and treat the wounded. Tseng looked frantically for his lithe redheaded bombshell, praying to Gaia that he would not find Reno in a crumpled heap amongst the deceased. Many had watched Reno in battle, several had seen him go down, but nobody seemed able to tell the Commander of the redhead's location. Tseng instead sought Sephiroth, whom he found in the infirmary beside an unconscious Cloud. The blonde's side was only the first hit that Cloud had taken. Seemingly, he'd suffered several more injuries, including a nasty gash to the head. The General's face was dark as he watched the blonde, speaking softly to the man in charge of tending to him, before nodding. He lifted his eyes in Tseng's direction then, and his eyes seemed slightly startled, watching as the Commander stepped towards him. The man tending to Cloud made to speak, but Sephiroth paid little attention, his focus solely on the commander's eyes.

…_Tell me something good, Sephiroth…_

"Tseng…" Sephiroth said quietly, as the infirmary staff nodded and quietly excused himself.

"Sephiroth, what happened, where is he?" Tseng urged, as the General placed a sturdy hand on Tseng's shoulder.

"Captured," Sephiroth said gently, "So there is still hope."

Tseng froze, feeling the blood drain from his face as he turned on his heel and headed for the interrogation area. He heard Sephiroth call after him, but paid very little attention.

He kicked open the door and found his brother huddled in the corner, his nose bleeding, as he sat half-conscious.

"Malto," Tseng barked, before hitting his brother hard across the face. He whimpered, sobbing, as he curled into a ball.

"Tseng, please…"

"They have Reno. You're a lucky little fucker that they took him or I would not be doing what I'm about to do."  
"Tseng, I am your brother…" Malto sobbed, "Show mercy… Show mercy…"

"No brother of mine would fight for that army."

"At least I do not fight for the devil!" Malto screamed, as Tseng pulled him up by the hair.

"Emperor Koshito and Shinra… How are they different? How?! Tell me!" Tseng snapped, shaking his brother by the collar of his uniform.

"They're not! They're… they're not…" Malto choked, "they both show compassion and loyalty, and love for one's country, but it is all greed…"

"Exactly!" Tseng hissed, "How much do they value you?"

"E…Excuse me?"

"How much is your life worth to their army?" Tseng explained, reaching down and snapping off his brother's dog tags. He raised a brow.

"You made it to a Commanding Officer?" Tseng asked, as his brother nodded, avoiding eye contact.

"Somewhere within me, I hoped to make you proud…"

Tseng said nothing to this, as he pulled his brother up and shoved him outside, the cuffed Wutaian falling head first into the mud. Tseng picked him up as the younger sibling spluttered, choking on the wet substance.

"I'm going to your General, and you are coming with me," Tseng said simply, "And we are trading you for Reno…"

"You would spare his life over mine?" Malto asked softly, and Tseng nodded, refusing to let his true emotions show. It was best that his brother continued to hate him. Reconcile was a useless wish now. It was unachievable.

"I am in love with him…" Tseng said quietly, as Malto turned his head in hurt disgust. Sephiroth approached them then, and Malto's eyes widened noticeably in fear.

"What do you intend on doing?" Sephiroth asked urgently, with concern apparent in his eyes.

"An eye for an eye," Tseng stated, continuing to move forward.

"They'll kill you as soon as you hand him over," The General stated, gesturing at Malto.

"They won't," Tseng said simply, as Sephiroth stopped him in his tracks, his hand pressed firmly on his shoulder.

"Tseng…" the General said quietly, his eyes telling the Commander everything he needed to know.

"You won't be here when I get back…"

"No we will not," Sephiroth admitted, "I shall miss your presence in my life."

The Commander delved into Sephiroth's eyes, hoping that the General could see everything that he had ever meant to the Commander. From the look on the General's face, and the firm nod that followed, he did.

Sephiroth squeezed Tseng's shoulder once again, before patting him a few times on the back.

"It shall be a challenge evading you," the General said wryly, provoking a smile from the Commander.

"It shall be a pleasure attempting to hunt you down," Tseng agreed, "Although I doubt I'll be feeling exactly up to standards…"

Sephiroth offered a small, genuine smile, before nodding and heading for the infirmary, undoubtedly to gather Zack and Cloud, both men understanding it would not be the last they would see of each other, yet both well aware that it would be the last time they fought on the same side. As Tseng continued to force his brother to the enemy camp, he could not have been any less certain of where the future of himself, the future of Shinra, or even the future of the planet herself, lay in the destiny before him.

…_Gaia, let it be a good one…_

And with that, he carried on through the rain, his brother held captive in his hands, and his soon to be prey held firmly in his heart.

--

**A/N:** . Hrmmm. Yeah, gonna read over it ONCE, so forgive me…


	18. Resignations

Well, here we are. Amazing. Amagad. For those who didn't know, 'Training' was the first fanfiction I ever posted on here, and now, we're here at the last chapter. Holy Sheet.

**Warnings: See previous chapters. Oh, and a long author's note for this chapter. Don't get cranky, don't read it if you don't want to. (But you should -cough-) **

_Training- Chapter 17_

_Sephiroth takes Zack and Cloud with him, leaving under the cover of nightfall and prompting many of their fellow SOLDIERs to determine whether what they were fighting was worth it or not. With mass desertion running through the Shinra forces, tensions back at Midgar are rising steadily. Shinra gives his firm orders to his Turks. Capture Sephiroth, dead or alive. _

_Hope it sounds exciting? Read onnnn…_

_There is no historical precedent,_

_To put the words in the mouth of the president._

_There's no such thing as a winnable war,_

_It's a lie we don't believe anymore._

"_Russians" ~ Sting_

Blood filled his mouth as another strike fell across his cheeks, hard enough to knock his chair to the floor. He coughed slightly, and felt a gurgling in his chest that signified the earlier kick to his ribs had punctured his lung. The metal chair scraped along the ground as the redhead let out a hiss, one of his Wutaian captives pulling him back to the upright position by his ponytail, and screaming at him in a tongue the Turk could not understand. The Wutaian struck him again, and Reno felt a trail of blood sliding into his eyes.

"I can't… understand… you…" The Turk hissed, a feral smirk sliding along his lips as he laughed bitterly at his captives.

"Leave him for now," Came a voice from the doorway, as Reno's captive moved to the side of the room, a new figure entering and taking the seat across from the table. Reno held the stranger's gaze, as he smiled slowly, deliberately, at the young Turk.

"Do you know who I am?" the figure asked, as Reno eyed him up. He was handsome, there was no use in denying that. He had strong facial features, somewhat like Angeal's, but with soft curves, much like Tseng.

…_Tseng…_

Reno bit back on the longing in his voice as he threaded together a response. Apparently, he wasn't quick enough, however, the figure continuing to speak anyway.

"I'm Liu Zeng, General of the Wutaian army. Some may say I am the Wutaian Sephiroth, yet I despise this title…" Liu smiled softly.

"There's more to Sephiroth than a lot of you fuckers will ever understand," Reno spat, and the General laughed.

"You misunderstand me," he said quietly, "This is not the first time I've fought your precious General. He is an amazing man, and I have witnessed his compassion and good intentions before. I do not wish to be compared to him, not because of disrespect, but much the opposite."

Reno continued to eye off the General, carefully masking his mixture of suspicion and curiosity behind an arrogant smirk.

"I gotta ask then, how come you ain't out there fighting battles like Sephiroth does?" Reno asked, and Liu laughed lightly.

"You may have noticed few of the Wutaian soldiers speak English. I'm one of the select few in the entire country that can speak it fluently," Liu explained, "If I were to go out into battle and be killed or injured, there would be little point in intercepting your intelligence or interrogating your POWs, as no one would be able to understand them."

Reno hated admitting it, but the explanation _did_ hold a little logic. It would take a fool to believe it entirely however. Any man could see a sense of fear in the General's eyes the instant Reno suggested the idea of fighting on the field.

"I dunno if it has much significance to you," Reno shrugged casually, despite blood continuing to fall from his mouth, "But I'm second in Command of the Turks. We're trained to see through all those little masks you're trying to hold up, General."

"Of course it holds significance," he smiled, "I know who the Turks are. I'm well acquainted with your Commander. He always was a black sheep amongst the army."

…He knows Tseng?...

"Tseng, he always was the best of the best. It certainly is a shame that all that talent went to waste on a corporation like Shinra. He could have done great things for this army," He let out a soft sigh. Reno's curiosity got the better of him, however, and he raised his head to meet the General's eyes.

"Just how well do you know him?" the redhead asked, as Liu gave a surprised little smile.

"Oh?" He remarked simply, "You do not know?"

The more Reno thought about it, the more he realised how very little he _did_ know about his lover's past. On mention of Wutai, Tseng would mention only childhood memories of his father and his friends, and leave a gaping hole of information missing from his teenage years.

"I trained Tseng to begin with. It wasn't for horribly too long. He quickly became too advanced in skills for me to do anymore than give him orders. I see him as an equal to myself," He shrugged, "He was offered my position, but he turned it down."

"Why?" Reno blurted before he stopped to consider he was showing far too much interest. Liu seemed not to be bothered, however.

"Tseng is a brilliant man. He's an exceptional fighter, a fantastic tactician, and he's lovely on the eyes," Liu paused, smirking a little as Reno's mako flared involuntarily, "But… it seems you already know all of that, so… He is simply a humble man who was not willing to take my position from underneath me. Instead, for some Gaia forsaken reason, he was lured into Shinra and offered things that apparently we were unable to provide. I presume it was an unimaginable paycheck."

"Ha!" Reno spat, "You praise him so much, and then think that he'd join an organisation like this for something as simple as money? You're fucked in the head."

Liu nodded apologetically.

"You're right, I'm sorry. He's an honorable man. He'd have his reasons, I'm sure," The General agreed, "I just find difficulty in understanding how a man of his status in this community could turn on us so abruptly."

Reno remained silent, knowing all too well that he wasn't quite sure why Tseng had joined Shinra either. None of the Turks had ever asked, deeming a question out of bounds, knowing that Tseng was too well respected for them to be thinking over such trivial matters to begin with. It got Reno thinking a little. Was there a future for the two of them, if neither of them could share their past with each other? Tseng knew too much about Reno already, considering how Reno had come to be at the Turks to begin with, but… Did he know enough?

The General sat backwards on a chair across from Reno, his eyes boring into the redhead's as he tapped his fingers on the top of the chair's back. Reno gave a scowl, and Liu gave a slow smile.

"Tell me Reno, will he come for you?" He asked, and the redhead thought on it. He thought for maybe a little too long, as Liu gave a small laugh, and repeated himself.

"Will he come for you?"

…_Would he know I needed him?...Would he know if he never sees me show it?..._

The answer became suddenly clear, and the Turk slowly shook his head. Liu raised a brow at this, and Reno let a creeping smirk consume his lips, shadows blocking his burning eyes from the General's gaze.

"He won't come for me," Reno explained slowly, "He'll be coming for blood. He'll be coming for _you_, General."

With this the redhead raised his head and gave a wink, blood slipping from his parted lips, and a gash above his eyes.

"I'm sure you'll make a pretty corpse, yo."

Liu stood abruptly, heading for the door, his expression dark with frustration and hatred, and as Reno saw, a little bit of fear. The other Wutaians came back in then, and as the door closed behind him, a shiver went through the General's spine as the redhead laughed maniacally. Not even the sound of the Turk's following beating was enough to drown that sound from his ears.

--

Cloud woke to a dull aching sensation across his entire body. He could vaguely remember being rendered unconscious by a host of pain killers after being attacked and injured by several Wutaian soldiers, but beyond that he struggled to comprehend his current predicament. It was then that the blonde startled, noting two sets of glowing eyes settled on him, a gloved hand clamping over his mouth abruptly when the blonde made to scream.

"Shhh... It's alright."

Had it been anyone but Sephiroth's voice uttering those words, Cloud may very well have attempted to scream again. Instead, he nodded softly, the General removing his gloved fingers from the blonde's lips.

"How you feeling?" Another soft whisper asked, as Cloud became aware of who the other voice belonged to.

"I'm... I'm okay Zack..." the blonde whispered his reply, still hazed slightly by sleep, "What's going on?"

"We're leaving," Sephiroth explained, as Cloud frowned in confusion.

"Leaving? The war is over?" Cloud asked groggily, as Zack hurriedly began dressing the blonde in warmer clothing and casting a cure over him. The warmth crept over the blonde suddenly, enveloping him in comfort and an even deeper sense of fatigue.

"Not exactly," Zack said softly, helping the blonde sit up.

As Cloud's eyes adjusted to the surrounding darkness, he noted the sad smile playing along the ex-Lieutenant's lips. He then noted a familiar expression within the General's eyes, and any fatigue he'd had abruptly dissipated. Zack helped him to his feet, as the blonde wobbled slightly, leaning his weight on his older friend. Zack stooped and took the blonde up in his arms, seemingly aware that Cloud was unable to walk unsupported at the present time. Cloud instinctively looped his arms around Zack's neck, as the ex-SOLDIER followed Sephiroth from the infirmary. As far as Cloud could gather, there was something very, very, wrong happening within Shinra. Sephiroth and Zack, as far as it seemed, were leaving, and Cloud was coming along for the ride. The blonde was hardly bothered though. If there were ever two people he trusted most in his life, Zack and Sephiroth would be it. Wherever they went, he'd follow blindly, which- in a way - he guessed he was doing right now anyway. Cloud, still confused by the sudden awakening, was then jolted from his thoughts when Zack walked headfirst into the General's back.

The camp was ablaze with light, a majority of the Shinra forces spread out across the base, arms raised in what appeared to be...... A salute? There was a deathly silence, as Sephiroth's head rotated slightly, seemingly observing the sight, before the General offered a clipped "at ease". Never before had Cloud heard confusion lacing the General's voice as it did then, Sephiroth finally approached by one of the first class elites.

"General Sephiroth sir," the SOLDIER saluted, "We have all been well aware that this time would come for some time, sir."

"Is this... Resistance?" Sephiroth asked cautiously, his fingers twitching slightly at Masamune's side. Zack then lightly lowered Cloud to the ground, before drawing the buster. The camp's silence grew thicker, as the first class motioned to the second class SOLDIERs behind him to step forward. Weapons raised, the group slowly advanced, as Masamune slid gracefully from her sheath.

"Our orders are to take you out, General..." the SOLDIER said softly, "A fight I know we can not win, yet we are obliged to try, sir."

Zack let out a bitter laugh at this, stepping forward to stand at Sephiroth's side.

"Obligation. Hah. If you ever had a reason to lie," the ex-SOLDIER murmured, "Surely you would choose one of a higher legitimacy? You're obliged to do nothing. You are your own people, not machines of war."

The SOLDIER raised a shaky gaze to meet Zack's, whose gaze returned with a burning ferocity that even screamed danger to Cloud. The blonde watched on in a concerned sense of awe, as the SOLDIER troops took just two steps forward, and both Sephiroth and Zack radiated mako from their every pore within an instance. A slight green hue pierced the air, as Sephiroth moved ever so slightly in the group's direction.

"Years of servitude together, and this is how we are repaid," the General said quietly, the silence of the area allowing each piercing word to reverberate through the air, "Is this what you want? Do you want to come up against your leaders, against two first class elite SOLDIERs, and fight for a company that has taken you from your homes for a reason that you neither understand nor believe in?"

The SOLDIER forces exchanged looks amongst themselves. There was a wave of murmurs, of hesitation amongst the masses, of decisions being made that would change the course of history in ways even they were not yet aware of. Several lay down their swords and backed down, seemingly heading for their quarters. Several lowered their weapons and simply moved to Sephiroth's side of the campsite. The rest, however, stood their ground.

"Seph?" Zack said quietly, just loud enough for the General's ears only.

"Yes?"

"I don't want to kill em, man…"

"Nor do I," Sephiroth replied, "But it is either them or Cloud, and I have made my priorities clear."

Zack let out a "hmph" of agreement and nodded his head.

"Bring it!" The ex-Lieutenant cried, before moving forward in a flurry of silver and purple. Then, it was an all out melee, the SOLDIERs on Sephiroth's side taking up arms once more and attacking their former comrades, as the opposing side did the same. Many avoided Sephiroth, only several first class SOLDIERs game enough to approach him. They were good; Sephiroth could easily admit that, as he had trained them to be what they were today. This interception would be a dangerous move on Shinra's behalf, Sephiroth knew, the commotion from the campsite bound to draw attention from the Wutaian enemy. The Shinra troops were clearly not concerned about this however, each of them putting in their full effort in defending against their fellow SOLDIERs.

Sephiroth cringed slightly, as a Second Class boldly came at him, Masamune piercing the SOLDIER's abdomen by reflex, as Sephiroth moved backwards to lend some small aid to Zack. The ex-Lieutenant shuffled on his feet, moving fluidly, but he was quickly becoming overwhelmed. It was one thing to be mobbed by monsters, or even by Wutaian warriors, but he was now up against Shinra's fleet of elite fighters. Masamune sailed through the air, a soft whistle barely audible over the clash of metal, and the calling out of voices, injuring several SOLDIERs and scattering many more for cover. To Sephiroth, this fight was far from fair. The SOLDIER forces were good, but he knew they were not good enough. Both he and Zack had spent the better part of their careers attempting to correct the fleet's flaws, and had come to know each fighter's weaknesses in turn. Apparently, so had the troops regarding Zack and Sephiroth himself. Whilst the ex-General and Lieutenant had been busy fighting off the forces, a larger group of them had slowly been advancing on the spot where Cloud sat. Sephiroth managed to catch on to their intentions in time to see Cloud attempting to drag himself away and turning frantic eyes in his direction.

It was something even Sephiroth himself had little control over. His mako flared immediately, and he leapt through the air to land at the blonde's side. The SOLDIERs surrounding the second class faltered, surprised fear apparent in their eyes, before Sephiroth attempted something he'd not done since he was thirteen years old. He pressed Cloud against his body, shielding the blonde's eyes, before focusing his energy and dispersing it through his body in a shockwave effect, sending SOLDIERs flying through the air, and knocking some others to the ground, lifeless. Sephiroth's eyes met Zack's, as the ex-Lieutenant looked on in shocked horror, before returning to his battle, his skin paled significantly.

"S-Seph?" The blonde murmured, as the General uncovered his eyes.

"You're okay Cloud," Sephiroth replied simply.

"What… what _was_ that?"

Sephiroth remained silent, instead placing the blonde back down and casting fire 3 at a group of SOLDIERs attacking Zack.

…_To be honest, Cloud… I'm not so sure myself… _

To the left of Sephiroth, Lieutenant Charles Kangan made his presence known by effectively summoning a large behemoth. The behemoth, in turn, made its own presence known, by flailing its tail and knocking a group of SOLDIERs flat. At this, Kangan turned to Sephiroth with urgent eyes.

"Get out of here, sir!" he barked. Sephiroth gave a nod, offering a salute. Kangan returned the favour, before casting a fire 3 and setting the camp ablaze all within moments. A gas bottle, used to keep the campsite lights running, could no longer handle the heat and burst under the pressure, causing enough of a diversion for Zack to burst through the flames un-noticed. He was by Sephiroth's side in moments, as the General and his peers slipped into the undergrowth, un-noticed except for Kangan, who quickly returned solemn eyes to the battle. Sephiroth knew then, that Shinra had just fallen apart.

--

A little over half an hour, the three had been running, and neither Zack nor Sephiroth were showing any signs of stopping any time soon. Cloud had dozed off for a few minutes several times now, nothing but the constant scenery of leaves and branches rushing past, and the rhythmic beat of Sephiroth's heart and pounding feet were penetrating his consciousness. He was still vague on a lot of the details, but he'd heard snippets of Zack and Sephiroth's conversations as they ran, and 'Rufus' seemed to be a recurring topic of discussion. Cloud didn't know much about the Vice President, but it seemed that bitterness between family members could occur in even the most esteemed backgrounds. A surreal feeling crept over the blonde as he began to realise that today was the beginning of the end of an era. He was witnessing the collapse of an empire that nobody, for many, many years to come, would ever forget.

"We don't really have a game plan here," Zack murmured, as Cloud felt Sephiroth jump slightly to clear a fallen log.

"Speak for yourself, Zachary," Sephiroth replied, as Zack let out a sigh. Thirty minutes of running, and the pair weren't even out of breath in the slightest. Cloud was a little unsettled by just how alike to machines SOLDIER could be sometimes.

"So what's the plan then, sunshine?" Zack snapped, and Sephiroth flicked a warning gaze in his friend's direction. Zack sighed again.

"Sorry, but you know I like to have a little order," The dark haired male explained, as Cloud took in Zack's appearance properly for the first time. He was wounded in the shoulder, seemingly a burn mark, but Zack seemed to be far from concerned, using the Buster to cut his way through the dense jungle.

"We'll head to the far East side of the continent. There's an underground passage that Shinra owns, should the need arise for a genocidal bombing of the continent," Sephiroth said calmly, as if talking about the weather, "It's high access clearance only, but it's far too soon for them to have blocked my level. We'll reach there by tomorrow morning at the latest."

Zack seemed satisfied with that answer, continuing his sprint through the forest, before he paused. Sephiroth halted too, aware that his right hand man would not stop without reason.

"Something gives me the feeling we're not alone…" Zack said as way of explanation. Sephiroth nodded, his eyes a little saddened.

"We're not," He remarked, before slowly continuing in their original direction.

"We're not?" Zack asked, cautiously following the General further into the forest.

The cocking of a gun stopped all three men in their tracks, as Cloud raised his eyes to meet Sephiroth's. The ex-General was softly smiling, not bothering to turn as he shook his head slowly. Cloud was more than a little confused. By the reluctant look in his eyes, Sephiroth had seemingly been waiting for this moment for a long time. It was as if he'd seen this coming well before today, whatever 'this' was…

"You caught us quicker than I'd imagined," Sephiroth said quietly, the stillness of the early morning air allowing his words to reverberate through the stillness.

"You were careless. It was almost as if you were looking to be found," Came the response, as Cloud craned his neck to see.

…_Tseng?..._

The Turks had come for them, as Sephiroth had expected, yet Cloud had refused to believe it until he saw it now. Sephiroth let out a soft 'hmph', his fingers clutching a little tighter to Cloud's outfit.

"Why flee the inevitable?" The General asked, "We've seen something like this coming for the past five years."

"By the order of President Shinra, we are to take you captive, dead or alive, and return you to Midgar as property of the corporation," Cloud heard Mark say, seemingly amused, "But as far as I'm concerned, I ain't coming near you with a ten foot pole."

"Mark…" Tseng warned, as the younger Turk fell silent.

"I'm calling it as I see it, bossman," Mark replied in his own defence.

"As for you, Tseng?" Sephiroth asked seriously, as a deathly silence fell across the area.

…_This can't be happening…_

For his entire career at Shinra, there had always been an unspoken rivalry between the General and the Commander. Everyone could see it. Turk and SOLDIER were leagues apart, and the two were eager to show the other up whenever the occasion arose. But, rivalry between the Turks and SOLDIER were always put aside when it came to the relationship between the two leaders. Sure, Sephiroth and Tseng had had plenty of turbulent times, but the bone between the pair was stronger than any that Cloud had seen. They always had each other's backs. Sephiroth and Tseng had fought many battles together, on the same side, for a common cause.

…_But fighting each other? _

Cloud heard Zack draw the buster, and the blonde made to speak, before Sephiroth covered his mouth.

"If I were to return uninjured, I would be killed, along with Mark and Gerard," Tseng finally murmured, as Cloud finally managed to see the Turks standing in all their glory behind them. Tseng stood on a patch of dirt in the clearing they'd been moving across, whilst Mark and the other Turk flanked either side of the Turk Commander. Tseng had his pistol drawn and aimed in Sephiroth's direction, not even a slight tremor showing through his steady aim. Tseng's eyes met Cloud's then, his gaze turning softer, as a slight smile crept along his lips.

"Hello Cloud," Tseng said softly, "I hadn't expected to ever speak with you again."

Sephiroth removed his glove, and lowered the blonde to stand on his own two shaky feet.

"Hello…" the blonde replied cautiously, "How's Reno?"

"I kept my word. I brought him back. He's in the infirmary recovering from some minor wounds and a fiery temper."

"I don't think he'll ever get rid of that," Cloud chanced a joke, and Tseng's smile widened slightly.

"No, I suspect he won't."

It was as if the two now opposing sides were discussing the weather, and the niceties were unsettling the blonde. Tseng was discussing details of Reno's rescue, like they would have only days ago, yet his delicate fingers were holding a pistol aimed squarely at Sephiroth's chest.

…_It's not right…_

"Are you going to kill us?" Cloud asked bluntly, and the smile fell abruptly from Tseng's lips. The Commander's eyes saddened and he let out a bitter scoff of laughter.

"Kill you? Gaia, no. I couldn't if I tried. Unfortunately for both parties, however, I can not let you leave without a fight. Whether or not _you_ kill _us_ should be your question, Cloud," Tseng said quietly, "And one that neither parties have complete control over."

"Tseng, you can just walk away from this," Zack piped up, buster sword at the ready, "I've fought your men before. Turk and SOLDIER are both elite forces, but we got the boost up of mako."

"Actually, we're equally matched, us and First Class," Mark corrected, "But Tseng and Sephiroth here? Both in leagues of their own."

There was a standstill for some time then, as both sides looked at each other with a growing conflict that neither could turn away from. Sephiroth's eyes turned to Cloud, and the blonde looked up at him pleadingly.

"_Don't kill them…" _

Sephiroth felt his mind fogging with his instinct to protect Cloud, and his desires to avoid conflict with one of his longest friends. He did not wish to fight Tseng, and yet if he chose to remain idle, Cloud may be caught in the crossfire and injured.

"You understand that in my situation," Sephiroth murmured, eyes latching onto Tseng's, "That I can not afford to hold back…"

Tseng's eyes moved from Sephiroth's to Cloud's, as the blonde continued holding a pleading gaze, this time in the Commander's direction. Tseng nodded at Sephiroth then, and withdrew his EMR with his free hand.

"I understand," The Commander said quietly, before casting a spell in Cloud's direction, Sephiroth whipping out Masamune as the blonde hit the ground. As Sephiroth looked upon the blonde, he frowned in confusion.

…_Sleep?..._

"He need not see this," Tseng explained, as his EMR crackled to life, Mark's and Gerard's doing the same. Sephiroth was vaguely aware of Zack shuffling restlessly beside him, just as Tseng made the first move, a shot ringing through the air.

As was to be expected, Tseng's aim was precise, and had Sephiroth not raised Masamune to deflect the shot in time, the bullet would have hit the General squarely in the chest. Sephiroth flared the mako in his system, as Zack leapt into action beside him, fending both Mark and Gerard off with smooth, fierce strokes of the Buster. As Sephiroth sailed Masamune through the air, Tseng drew and charged his EMR with seemingly little more than a flick of his wrist, blocking the strike and holding the blade's tip mere centimeters from his eyes. The Commander raised an eyebrow, before narrowing his eyes.

"I informed you that I can not afford to hold back…" Sephiroth said quietly, "The amount of force I put in depends on how fiercely you should choose to fight."

"I expected no less," Tseng said just as quietly, as the clash of blades to their right continued.

Tseng crackled the EMR and pushed forward, barely managing to force Sephiroth back, before Masamune was heading for another strike. The Commander's feet buried slightly in the ground, as the force of Sephiroth's blow pushed him backwards slightly. Tseng was good, he knew that, but it had always been difficult to even get close to a win in their mock spars. The only way was to unsettle the General's state of mind, and that would prove difficult in this situation. For one thing, Sephiroth had only one thing to lose now, and that was Cloud, the very same thing that he had every fiber in his body engaged to defend. Tseng took evasive action, propelling himself against the force and sliding through the General's open legs to strike him from behind. Sephiroth let out a hiss as the shock was discharged, before spinning to kick Tseng in the jaw, sprawling the Commander across the muddy earth.

Tseng watched the General's fingers spasm slightly, knowing that the shock had rendered Sephiroth with partial loss of control, and took this small advantage to move forward, Sephiroth's control over his sword disabling him slightly in the fact that his strikes were less precise. Nevertheless, the ex-General's strikes came with a crippling force, his next strike barely being held back by the Commander's EMR, as his feet slid on the muddy ground. He managed to anchor himself and push back, only to have Sephiroth use the motion to flick backward and then propel himself at the Commander in an action fast enough that Tseng had difficulty in comprehending what had just happened, before Sephiroth was upon him again.

Tseng still had difficulty in avoiding the barrage of blows, but had a higher success rate in deflecting and evading. It was very much what he needed, as Sephiroth began to let loose, not holding back as much as he was before, and allowing his body to fight as if he were facing a foe. The General's eyes were filled with rage and a fierce protection that eased Tseng a little in realising that they'd make it. They'd survive without Shinra, because Sephiroth _was _Shinra… Zack… Cloud… they would be safe. The General's blade moved with skilled precision, and his eyes met Tseng's in a brief moment of recognition, and an understanding was able to pass through them with no words involved.

"_You'll make it, Sephiroth."_

Tseng's mistake then, was to falter. Sephiroth's was to hold eye contact, as the Commander's eyes widened in surprised pain.

Both were caught in that moment. Chocolate brown locked with emerald green, both sets widened in surprise as Sephiroth pulled back, his blade sliding from the Commander's chest as he did so. Without the balance of Masamune through him, Tseng fell to his knees, a splutter drawing blood from his mouth, as his hand instinctively pressed against his wound. Blood flowed freely from the wound, trickling over the top of the Commander's fingers as he applied pressure. It fell to the ground, soaking into the earth, Sephiroth's fingers tightening around Masamune, as the world around him seemed to slow. There was a soft smile along the Commander's lips, as a crimson flow slipped from them and slid in trails down his chin. His Turk comrades cried out in horror once they'd realised what was unfolding, abandoning the battle with Zack in favour of flocking to their leader's aid. Zack himself was standing, mouth open in a soundless cry, his cheeks paled, and the buster falling from his hands with a soft thud as it hit the earth beneath their feet.

Memories were burning now…

He had memories of a Young Turk, fresh onto the rookie list. He had a fierce determination in his eyes that Sephiroth took a liking to almost immediately. That kid was going places. As he held the young Turk's eyes however, there was a flash of intelligent danger in there, and Sephiroth had known from that moment on that the Turk would go places: But only ever as a Turk. Some people were just born for the job.

There was a memory of a meeting in the halls, where the same Turk had stopped Sephiroth and casually told him "One day, there'll be someone in this company that will bring the Turks up to rival your SOLDIERs, Sephiroth."

Sephiroth had smirked then, not believing a word of it until only weeks later, that Young Turk had become Commander. Sephiroth had never felt so threatened by brilliance in all his life.

Tseng standing at Sephiroth's side, offering a tactical plan for an assault on a crime syndicate in sector four. It was the largest bust in the continent's history, and would bring nothing but praise for Shinra. Should they get rid of this syndicate once and for all, drug use, prostitution, everything that made the underbelly of Midgar crawl, would come crashing down. It would take years to rebuild an empire such as this, and it had become a joint operation of the Turks and SOLDIER to take them down. Sephiroth had already formulated his own plans. Tseng had politely informed him of some small flaws that may compromise the mission. Sephiroth, always in charge, had initially refused to take the advice, arrogance demanding he ignore this rookie's words. After all, why should he listen to a Turk? Tseng had taken Sephiroth by the collar and shoved him against the nearest wall.

"You don't learn to trust me, General, and you'll have half of our men killed!" Tseng had snapped, the first time Sephiroth had seen a Turk lose composure, "You may want to throw their lives on the line, but I don't. You can play high and mighty later General, when there's not a chance of getting these men killed, do you understand me?"

Tseng had then held Sephiroth's gaze, whilst the SOLDIERs and Turks around them held their breaths. Sephiroth had never been challenged before, and it was this that made the General consider there may be method to Tseng's ideas. They followed the Commander's plan after all, and the mission ran flawlessly. Not once did Tseng ever mention it, simply offering Sephiroth a congratulations and a warm smile. Walls had been broken that day, and Sephiroth instantly became much more open minded; But only with Tseng.

Sephiroth and Tseng had gone for drinks, a rare occasion on its own, when a stranger had approached them, offering admiring small talk. Another individual approached also, and Sephiroth had turned to reluctantly sign his autograph on a napkin. It was at this point that the first person's glass fell to the floor, as his cheek was pressed against the bar's surface, Tseng's pistol against his temple.

"Who do you work for?" The Commander had said calmly.

"I don't know what you're talking about!" the stranger had stammered, before Tseng cocked the gun, his fingers resting lightly on the trigger.

"Diablo!" the stranger had then wailed, before Tseng hit the offender's head hard with the butt of his pistol. He then turned to see the other individual running to leave, and fired two shots at his knee caps, sending the bar into chaos. Sephiroth, confused and partially in shock, made to ask Tseng, but the Commander merely held up the General's beer.

"Your drink has been spiked, General. By amateurs, no less," Tseng had replied calmly, as the other occupants of the bar continued their panic around them. The Commander then took a long drink from his own glass and smiled another warm smile, a slight teasing quality behind this one.

"You're lucky you have a friend like me to look after you, Sephiroth," Tseng said quietly, finishing his drink and finally moving to tend to his injured captive. It had been the first time Tseng had used the General's name.

Then, a sadder occasion, where Tseng had placed a firm hand on Sephiroth's shoulder, offering condolences for the loss of many great men in the original battles of Wutai. Tseng had offered wise words then, saying that a leader can only do so much for their men. Sometimes, personal choices were a person's own downfall, and no amount of guidance, be it brilliant or otherwise, could deter some from making them. Many Turks had been lost that day at Tseng's hands also. Each of the two had killed their own men, and yet Tseng was offering comfort to the General, his eyes showing little else than concern for Sephiroth. Sephiroth had known two things then. Tseng would always be the brother that he'd never had, and despite anything that anyone would ever have to say, there would be a part of Tseng that would always be stronger than Sephiroth ever could be.

Now, Tseng was weakening before the General's eyes.

"Tseng…" The ex-General murmured, as chocolate brown glossed over slightly, the soft smile along thin lips widening.

"…Go…" Came the simple response, as Sephiroth urged his feet to move, watching the copious amounts of blood flow from the wound _he_ had created. A slight tinge of mako filled the air, Tseng's body moving into over drive in a desperate attempt to heal, and filling the seeping blood with the smell of the planet's life force, as Sephiroth stooped to pick up the still unconscious Cloud and urging Zack quietly to leave.

"Zachary…" He urged, the ex-Colonel seemingly planted to the spot, his fingers trembling as he clenched them, "Zachary, we need to leave…"

Zack nodded finally, ripping his eyes from the Commander's form and scooping up the buster before hurriedly moving to clear the path ahead of any beasts. Sephiroth now held the blonde in his arms, as Tseng fell forward onto his hands, both of his comrades dropping to either side of him, as hooded eyes met Sephiroth's a final time. Both sets of eyes stayed locked with each other, both pushing thoughts into the others, expressing things that neither individual had told the other. Both broke the eye contact knowing that the other would always have held the highest respect, the strongest loyalty, and the most unconditional love for the other that was physically possible, even if they'd never said those words out loud. They were brothers. The ex-General turned, knowing that if he looked back now, he'd never leave.

Tseng watched them leave, his breathing labored and his chest tight, alight with mako and agony. His eyes swam, and the last thing he settled his gaze on was a slowly opening pair of bright blue eyes, peering over a leather coat, before the world turned to black, and relief came swiftly.

--

The sun broke across the city, filtering through the toxic clouds that had managed to form over it, and casting an unholy glow over his face. The news had just reached Midgar, and as he looked out across the vast lands and oceans, his eyes could almost envision the smoke rising from the west as the battle continued to rage. A small smirk crept along his lips, as he heard his fathers angered words from the level above. He'd have just finished the morning report that Rufus had left upon his nightstand, and his blood pressure would be sky-rocketing as he teetered on the edge of consciousness.

"Life as you know it is coming to an end, old man," he said quietly to himself, as he heard footsteps approaching.

"Mister Vice President Sir?" The voice called cautiously, and Rufus turned to face his newest secretary with a charming smile.

"Have you read the morning report, Elena?" He asked, as the little blonde gave a slow shake of her head.

"Then let me be the first to welcome you to the new world we're about to enter," He said smoothly, taking his coat from her outstretched hand, "Things are going to be different from now on."

"Has there been news from Wutai, Sir?" Elena asked, following her boss from his office with a cup of his favourite coffee in her hand. Rufus straightened his collar, flicking his fringe from his eyes and heading for his father's office.

"You could say that," He said calmly, "SOLDIER have been pitted against each other, Sephiroth and Zack have deserted the company, and Shinra is falling apart. Do you know the meaning of the term coup d'état?"

Rufus didn't wait for her answer, as she stopped dead in her tracks. The only thing he heard as the door swung shut behind him was the sound of a porcelain cup shattering on his office tiles. His smirk widened.

--

Pain seared through every part of his body. At first, he merely dismissed them as cramps. On second thought, he determined that perhaps it was a crossing of emotional pain into the physical domain. He'd been plagued by disturbing images, knowing all too well that with the daytime, still the images would persist. Just lately though, they'd changed. He still saw the silver haired assassin in many of them, surrounded by flames, his eyes ablaze with hatred and mako. Now, though, the insanity was missing. There was a part of him that was no longer clouded with a toxicity he had no control over. Now, the demon that Sephiroth had been destined to become, appeared to be in need of assistance.

…_Assistance? Surely in these times of solitude, my own sanity has become of a questionable stability…_

Still, a nagging feeling persisted that redemption may lie in the form of guidance. After all, sometimes the hardest person to forgive was yourself. These thoughts continued to plague him as he rested, until his decision was finally made. Crimson eyes opened and gazed into the darkness, that possibility drawing him from his self imposed prison.

--

The cold was a biting one, as the three sat huddled together, all shielding themselves under Sephiroth's coat. Zack was firmly pressed against the ex-General's side, and Cloud was wrapped firmly within Sephiroth's arms.

"This may sound odd," Sephiroth said quietly, as Cloud chattered slightly in his arms, "But it feels oddly like home here…"

"H-home?!" The blonde cried, "H-how can you p-possibly think this feels h-homely?!"

Sephiroth pulled the blonde a little tighter to him, resting his chin upon blonde spikes, as Cloud's chattering slowed and eventually stopped.

"I don't know. It's almost a surreal feeling of déjà-vu," Sephiroth remarked distantly, as Zack snorted at his side.

"That landslide hit you harder than I thought," Zack teased, as Sephiroth scowled slightly.

The trio had made their way to the Northern Crater, after escaping Wutai through Shinra's bunkered ports. They'd found a small submarine that Sephiroth had successfully been able to maneuver through an underwater graveyard of battleships and other water machinery. More recently, they'd found themselves seeking shelter from the sub-zero temperatures in deserted caves, and Sephiroth was often left to gather food and other materials whilst Zack kept an eye on Cloud. Since they'd arrived, Zack had gotten frostbite in two of his toes, Cloud had been attacked by a rather fierce Vlakorados whilst trying to bathe in the hot springs, and more recently, Sephiroth had been subjected to a minor landslide that had barely left the ex-General conscious. The Northern Caves had left them in a least favored position. Food was scarce, conditions were harsher than Cloud's barely enhanced body could handle, and the active volcano beneath the surface of the crater caused constant hazardous situations involving shifting earth and steam vents. But, for the time being, it was home.

Sephiroth stood then, heading for the cave entrance and beginning to cast ice.

"Are you frickin' _nuts!_?" Zack choked, "We're freezing our balls off, and you're casting _ice_?"

Sephiroth chose to ignore this, however, and continued the spell, effectively sealing off the entrance from the biting wind. Almost immediately, the temperature in the cave became a little more bearable.

"If we move a little further back into the cave, we can start a fire," The ex-General nodded, as Zack smiled sheepishly.

"Ya, okay, I should never question your methods," He shrugged, "Even if there is a shitload of madness behind them."

"Thank you Zachary," Sephiroth smirked slightly, before stooping to help Cloud to his feet and tossing his coat over the top of the blonde. Cloud did little more than scowl, before trudging along behind his other half, his shoes scuffing on the floor.

"Cheer up Cloudy-cakes, you're a mountain boy," Zack grinned, ruffling the blonde's hair, "This place should feel just like home for you too."

Cloud, despite his obviously grumpy mood, laughed a little at this and swatted Zack's hand away.

"Says the hick who's done nothing but bitch since we left Wutai!" The blonde snorted, before his eyes went a little distant. Sephiroth couldn't help but notice Zack's do the same, and took a moment to reflect on where they were now and how'd they'd gotten there.

Wutai had been a nightmare. They'd all managed to escape relatively unscathed physically, but the mental imagery would likely never fade. Damien was dead, Sephiroth had turned Masamune on Tseng, Shinra was falling apart, and SOLDIER was turning against each other from the inside out. Then there was Rufus Shinra. That was a name that Sephiroth would never forget. The son of the most powerful man in the planet had torn his father's company apart with his own hands.

"Where do we go from here?" Zack murmured, as the trio continued further into the darkness.

"We can't go back to Midgar ever again," Cloud noted, as if a subtle reminder of what everyone there already knew, "And I don't think I could handle going back to Nibelheim."

"They'd expect me to head to Gongaga. The Turks especially, they know I'd be missing my folks too much," Zack frowned, "You don't think… You don't think they'd do anything to my parents, do you?"

Since the night Shinra had fallen apart, Reno had taken over leadership of the Turks. He'd held a grudge against Sephiroth for some time now, but it had grown since the incident regarding Tseng. Sephiroth could only have expected that. Sephiroth gave a shake of his head and let his brows furrow slightly, his own thoughts focused on where Shinra might expect to find him. He had no home town. Something within him cried Nibelheim when he thought of the word 'home', but he expected this had more to do with the need to be with Cloud than anything else. Wasn't home where the heart was? In that case, he was home right now, wherever the sulking blonde happened to be.

"Reno may have obligations as a Turk, but he has a conscious as a human being. Despite his feelings over everything that's happened, he would not take such a course of action," Sephiroth responded, giving Zack a reassuring nod of his head, "Your parents are fine. If anything, they'll be asked a few questions and left alone."

"I don't want my ma worrying," Zack frowned deeper, seemingly distressed, "She doesn't have a strong enough heart to deal with these kinds of things."

There was an extended silence, before Sephiroth watched a smile creep over Cloud's face.

"Think of it this way: Your mum was always reluctant to let you go to Shinra in the first place right? But she let you go because she knew you could look after yourself," The blonde smiled, "So now you've left Shinra, she'd be more relieved because she already knows you can look after yourself. She's seen all the news articles, she's got the proof."

Zack seemed satisfied with this, ruffling the blonde's hair as he pulled Cloud to walk beside him.

"You're a wise kid, Cloud," Zack smiled, and Cloud blushed slightly, before stumbling over a rock. He landed against Sephiroth's side, and the silver haired male hoisted him upright, running a hand through blonde locks affectionately. The two had shared many of these moments since they'd been free of the scrutinizing eyes of the Shinra military, and it was just one more reason why they persisted with their escape. They may have been tired, injured, cold, but they were _free_.

"We'll sleep here," Sephiroth nodded, as Zack flopped onto the ground, wriggling to dislodge a few rocks from where he lay.

"Isn't it uncomfortable to just fall down like that?" Cloud asked, gingerly placing himself upon the hard ground. Zack gave a nonchalant shrug, before rolling over to meet Sephiroth's gaze. Sephiroth took a seat against the wall, and gestured for Cloud to come to him, before lighting a fire.

"You okay Stuffy-pants?" Zack asked, and the ex-General scowled slightly. Cloud laughed a little at this.

"He's fine."

Sephiroth felt comfortable like this. He had something he'd never fully understood, and often underappreciated: A family. Cloud curled up on the floor, resting his head on Sephiroth's lap, as a gloved hand laced fingers through his hair. It may not be a perfect life, but it was _theirs_, and there wasn't a thing in the world that would take that from Sephiroth now.

Cloud fell asleep within minutes, seemingly warm enough to forget about everything around him that had been tearing his world apart. Sephiroth watched as his chest rose and fell with every breath he took. A few loose strands of his hair moved against his nostrils as he breathed, and his nose screwed up slightly before Sephiroth brushed them back. The fire cast shadows to flicker across the blonde's face, but he seemed truly at ease. Sephiroth finally allowed himself to relax, kicking his boots from his feet, as Zack poked at the fire with his hiking stick he'd pulled from a tree just outside their cave. He and Sephiroth held eye contact for a few moments, and the ex-Lieutenant gave a soft, genuine smile.

"I know it doesn't seem as glamorous as you were probably hoping for, for him…" Zack said softly, "But I think we're gonna be fine."

Sephiroth gave a half convinced nod and let his thoughts be absorbed by the flames. He could only hope that Zack's optimism hit true, and a part of him believed it would.

--

_**To:**__ Turk Commander _

_**From: **__Reeve Tuetsi, Shinra file management_

_**Topic: **__Shinra Special Forces_

_Notice of Employee Discontinuation_

**ATT:** Reno, "Turk Commander".

**PRIVATE AND CONFIDENTIAL**

Records have now been altered appropriately regarding-

Grl. Sephiroth: SOLDIER FIRST CLASS.

Lt. Fair, Zachary: SOLDIER FIRST CLASS.

Prvt. Strife, Cloud: SOLDIER SECOND CLASS.

Above listed now marked as MIA, presumed dead.

Grl. Sephiroth to remain priority one in unlikely case of live positive identification. Suspect to be terminated on sight, effective immediately.

_**Added Notes:**_

_Suspect is extremely dangerous, capable of using extreme force at his discretion._

_Regards, _

_Reeve Tuetsi_

_Shinra File Management_

_**_

_**To:**__ Reeve Tuetsi, Shinra file management_

_**From: **__Turk Commander_

_**Topic: **__RE:____Shinra Special Forces_

_Notice of Employee Discontinuation_

**ATT:** Reeve Tuetsi, "Dumb Piece of Shit".

**PRIVATE AND CONFIDENTIAL**

"Unlikely case of live positive identification"my ass.

I'm guessing you never dealt with him in person, Tuetsi. You see this guy anywhere near you, and you fall to your knees in admiration.

You take or injure anything that's his, and he'll come back for you.

He'll be back.

They say that someone who has nothing to lose is the most dangerous. I say you need to have something to fight for, and something that you're sure as hell willing to die for.

He's still got that.

Gaia help us if we find that fucker alive.

_Regards,_

_Reno._

**A/N:** Stress less, read below before you're all like "SHIT ENDING!"

I definitely am bittersweet in seeing this end. People have asked in the last few chapters if it was possible to do a sequel of this, could I? You'll notice there are a lot of open doors, even in just this last chapter. So, could I make a sequel? The answer: It's fanfiction, kids. Anything is possible. I just need to know how many of you want this. And let's be brutally honest, I'm horrible at updating, and will blatantly refuse to post a sequel until I have a fair bit of it done. So, who wants a sequel? You can let me know by review or private message. But honestly, not trying to bribe, but if there doesn't appear to be enough interest I might not bother. Lol.

If there's no sequel, there'll definitely be at least one more chapter added on to wrap everything together. Don't freak out.

Anyway, thanks for coming on this ride with me.

Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays to everyone.

I love you all.

~spopococ~


	19. Epilogue End of Part One

**Epilogue chapter. **

For some, this is the last you'll be reading of _Training_. Rest assured that you'll not be missing horribly too much if you end your connection to this story right here. I'll do my absolute best to leave questions previously left unanswered, answered. It's short, but I don't think it needs to be any longer than it is. If I missed anything you're still confused about, let me know and I'll send you a pm.

For the rest of you, prepare for yet another bumpy ride. There is going to be a sequel.

_Training- Epilogue_

_A summary would do no justice, because that's basically just what this is, in POV format. Thank you for reading._

--

It ain't too hard to see where shit started going wrong. You give people power, and they'll create the fear of their own accord. You give people love, and they'll destroy anything in their way, breeding their own kind of hatred if you dare try and take that from them. Too much power is a death wish though, and when Shinra decided he wanted his fat ass to have everything held in his stubby little fingers, his own people drew the line. SOLDIER numbers are reduced now, to a select few, fighting alongside us under one ruler. The Shinra name reigns once more, but the name ringing around town this time is Rufus, and they offer nothing for him but praise. I suppose the smug little bastard always got what he wanted. He had his father's company, and he held nothing but an undying love from everyone around him. Shinra wasn't known as Shinra anymore though. No, the little blonde bastard decided against it, insisting that arrogance came from naming a company after you. He says that one of the reasons his old man failed was because he demanded his own name grew with his company. The more power and influence Shinra corp. had earned the more that Shinra the person took for himself. It didn't matter too much in the end. After what had become known worldwide as 'The Great Desertion', us and the remaining SOLDIERs pledged allegiance to Rufus Shinra. Lieutenant Charles Kangan had almost immediately been promoted to General, despite damn near all of us knowing that it was him who got the traitors free in the first place.

I don't really need to mention names, do I? They'd made names for themselves, really. The General, his lover, and his Lieutenant. All three had become legends through Shinra, and undoubtedly throughout history. I gotta admit, one of the reasons you didn't mention names around us, was because of what the General had done. All throughout the time I'd known him, he'd been an ass of sorts, but I respected him because he was a human being. I was also friends with the little blonde one, and to see the smiles that the bastard brought to Blondie's face was enough of a reason for me to tolerate him. History changed a bit for the Turks on that day though, and it certainly changed how I'd think of the General from that moment on. He'd done something unforgivable by turning on one of us, one of his closest companions, a brother of his basically. I'd been thrown into Turk commandership that day, and I'd been lost and without a clue of what I was doing for two whole months. I don't think I'd ever get over it, and despite all of Tseng's assurances that it was necessary, I hunted them for those two months until the boss took back the reigns. Once he had, by then, it was too late. Shinra as we knew it had fallen apart. Shinra's disappearance had been sudden, but there was little we could do to prevent it. Karma comes around I guess, and I can still remember the cold look on Shinra junior's face when he found out his dad had disappeared. I wouldn't put it past Rufus to have gotten rid of the old geezer himself, but it was something I guess we'd never really know.

Wutai was a blood soaked barren land for the most part now. The locals had returned to their homes, free from the stronghold that Shinra had placed over them for so long. After my capture, Tseng had come in, all guts and glory, before offering his own brother in exchange for me. He'd explained to the Wutaian General of everything that was about to happen. They started speaking in their own native tongue then, and somehow, Tseng had walked out of there with me over his shoulder and with little more than a scratch on his body. Then, seemingly miraculously, Rufus had managed to bring peace finally, and we often had the young Wutaian princess and the King of Wutai himself coming to headquarters to maintain that relationship. Things weren't always easy where we were now, but they were better than they'd been. Unlikely shit had happened, including the re-emergence of none other than Vincent Valentine. He was a legend amongst Turks, and gradually, had become a legend across the world. Not long after the desertion, there were sightings of Valentine all over the place. More often than not, there would be coinciding reports of none other than the General, within a nearby vicinity of Valentine. We'd figured out by then that Valentine was out to assist the General. When the sightings of Valentine stopped, so too, did sightings of him.

Nobody's all that sure where it is that they went or even if they were still alive. Speculation ran wild across all of the continents, and more often than not, bogus sightings were claimed for an opportunity for locals to get in the paper. They were enemy number one of the world on the official listings, but they would always be heroes. No one ever doubted that. Still, rumors flew that they were having inside help from Shinra. Rufus furiously denied it on any occasion where he was asked, as did Kangan. Both played the dumb card, and the media ate it from their palms willingly. Had anyone bothered to ask Tseng, they would have got the same answer, but perhaps with a barely guarded smirk. Some friendships never died.

With everything that happened, wisely, the science department was disbanded. What they did once they left Shinra, I'd be fucked if I knew, but Rufus was having no mistakes in any potential resurrection of the Jenova project under his name. As far as anyone was concerned, you could look at it in two aspects. Either it was a massive success, creating the world's strongest and undeniably best soldier, or it was a failure of epic proportions, where the loyalty did not lie strong enough and lead to him becoming untamed and out of control. It was always one of Hojo's greatest concerns, and should the bastard have been alive to witness the fall of Shinra at his son's own hands, I dunno whether he'd have been proud or not. Whether or not the General ever knew his lineage was another mystery amongst Shinra. Anyone outside of Shinra wouldn't have known anything better, and all the files regarding the Jenova project were destroyed in Nibelheim's "mystery fire". There were select few who knew what went on that day, and if Rufus could help it, nobody else outside of the Turks would _ever_ know. Truth was, Nibelheim had become subject to years of pent up rage of the General and his little blonde pet. Nobody ever questioned why the entire town was set alight so abruptly, and yet, there were only three casualties. All the other townspeople had conveniently been 'working in the fields' or 'tending to the reactor'. Even the kids.

I still remember the day we went in there to clean shit up. The mansion was completely destroyed, but everything else remained standing. Structural damage was severe, but the only three casualties had been in the mansion itself. Rumor had it that the General had personal grief with them himself, where another suggested a connection to Valentine. We never found out. Either way, they were still pulling strings and fixing all their wrongs whilst remaining under cover. For the most part, anyway. When we'd got there, a lithe guy covered by a hooded cloak in the middle of summer had been engaged in a conversation with the inn owner. Both had looked over, and the inn owner had murmured more words to the figure. The figure had nodded in our direction, before sprinting for the mountains. I made to take after him, but Tseng had grabbed my arm. The only thing I could do was stop and watch as he ran, hood bouncing back and falling to reveal spikey blonde hair. Once he'd reached the path, I'd met bright blue eyes briefly, and a solemn smile was printed across his lips. I've never seen Cloud Strife again. Funnily enough, he wasn't the only citizen of Nibelheim who had disappeared either. Mrs. Strife had disappeared around the chaos of the fire, as had the Lockheart family, consisting of Shane and Marie Lockheart, and their young daughter Tifa. All the locals would say was that they'd packed up and moved for a better life. They wouldn't say any more, and we never pressed any further. Records show they were associates of the Strifes, and that offered no surprises to any of us. Rufus himself gave the order to rebuild Nibelheim exactly how it was, minus a particular mansion.

The Nibelheim reactor was closed, and the contents of it were kept strictly confidential. We'd found unspeakable shit in there, man. As for Jenova, she was gone, leaving nothing behind but a trail of blood leading to the boiling mako pits below. The General _had_ found out his lineage, and we'd figured that may have even been a trigger for his destruction of the mansion and Jenova herself. Tseng was real quiet that day, and I could only imagine why. If I'd have found out what Shinra had done to me, I think I'd have gone bat-shit crazy. From what I gathered, she'd had some kind of toxic hold over the General, but he'd fought his way free. In the end though, we knew she was gone. It was around the time that the sightings of Valentine and the General ceased. I guess they'd finished their business then. Hojo was dead. Tseng had gone to make sure of that, and found his decomposing body being eaten by the wolves. He'd made it out of the building, but help had obviously not come soon enough. Tseng never told us exactly how the bastard died, but every time we'd ask, he'd offer a vague smirk and the line "Let's just say he went out with a 'bang'". Truthfully, nobody asked any more because nobody really cared. He died like he lived his life, and really, how he deserved; isolated, selfishly, and torn to pieces. His little hideout was set alight, and anyone at Icicle or Bone villages who questioned the thick plume of smoke that rose, were told that it was a bushfire cause by lightning. It wasn't entirely too far from the truth. I'd cast the spell myself, after all.

That was around the time that Tuetsi became second in charge, just under Rufus. Heidegger or that slut Scarlet might have been given a decent shot if they hadn't been involved in a rather touchy incident near Bone Village. They'd gone looking for the Promised Land, looking for a way to increase mako supplies to the city. They'd had a negative attitude to where they wanted Shinra going. Rufus never liked it, but then again, he hadn't even realised they'd left. The next we knew, there'd been reports of explosions near Bone Village. With no reactors in the vicinity, we were sent to check it out. We'd found Heidegger and Scarlet in the wreckage of a company car, still smoldering when we got there. Tseng had told everyone to examine the scene, and took me and Rude a little further into the forest. What we found there made little sense to me, but Tseng had simply smiled softly and turned us back. I dunno what he had to get sentimental over. All we found was a concealed entrance to what seemed to be a city, and a long pink ribbon. I'd clicked on a little further in though, when we'd found footprints from SOLDIER first class boots, and carvings on a tree of the initials ZF + CS. If those two were here, so was he, and as for the ribbon? Somewhere along the line, the Cetra girl we'd been keeping an eye on had slipped through the cracks. How she did it without alerting the Turks was something I don't think any of us would know. She was a bright spark, that girl, and seemingly now an associate in one way or another of the General himself. If memory served me right though, the Lieutenant had spent some time with her, and they seemed pretty tight. Maybe, in the end, they got the fairytale ending they'd both been after. Nobody knew.

The thing is, was that it was getting harder to ask anyone questions these days. The whole world seemed to be conspiring against us, knowing too much, yet revealing too little. When it came to Shinra's infamous deserters, Tseng never resorted to forceful interrogation, and this was a choice that Rufus had whole-heartedly supported. Truth be told, if I'd found them myself, I may very well have let them go myself. As much as I hated the General, he'd changed this world, and it was for the better. Tseng was still a fuckwit, but I'd fallen for him even more since all the shit started going down. I wouldn't have him any other way. Without the excess levels of stress he'd been previously going through, he'd gotten even more attractive. It wasn't often that you got to see the bastard smile, but now he was letting them slip through every opportunity he had. Rude was my partner now. We'd both started the Turks at the same time, but needless to say, I'd gone through a fair bit more than the lucky bastard and he knew it. He kept to himself usually, but was taking quite a shining to the Wutai princess. Apparently because she's 'got spunk'. Dunno how she feels about him though, as I'm usually delegated to make sure she doesn't do any crafty work. Tseng says he remembers her from when they were both younger. She had a knack for theft even as a six year old, so he says. She's got the mouth of a trooper too. I guess if I was straight, she might be a pretty kick ass girlfriend, but hey, good luck to Rude.

There are small uprisings now and again from those who are still a little weary of Shinra. Old grudges die hard I suppose, but they need people to run the reactors still. So far, our main threat has been a terrorist group going by the name of Avalanch. We've had run-ins in the past, but they seem to be growing in numbers. As Tseng said, nothing to be overly concerned with right now, but we'll see how shit plays out. Another rumor floating around town is that they've rendezvoused with Strife a few times, and if that's true, maybe we have a little more to be concerned about than we realise. Still, we'll worry about that as it happens. Right now, we're focusing on rebuilding Midgar's slums, knowing all too well that they're way overdue for it, and with Reeve in the second top spot, there's gonna be changes around here. The world's becoming something new, and ya gotta wonder what started it all, ya know? Shinra's thirst for power, the General's unexpected love, or something we're not really ready to learn about just yet? Well, shit happens I suppose, but suddenly, it ain't so bad to tell people you're a Turk.

Something about that makes me feel a whole lot better about the lives we're leading now.

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"Reno?" Tseng murmured, walking into his office just as the redhead dropped a pen and snapped a book shut, shoving it into his desk drawers.

"Ya?" The Turk asked, placing his hands behind his head and offering a lazy smirk.

"What are you up to? You've been far too quiet for the past hour," The Commander frowned, as Reno allowed his eyes to roam his superior's body freely, seemingly reveling in the slight shift of emotion in Tseng's eyes at the gesture.

"Some book-keeping," The redhead shrugged, "You've lost a little weight, yo."

Tseng looked down at himself, thinking that perhaps he'd lost a little _too_ much weight, but he recovered quickly.

"Must be all the running around after you," The Commander replied with a smirk, prompting a wink from the redhead as Reno stood and approached his lover. He took hold of Tseng's collar and straightened it, before biting lightly on the Commander's neck.

"You love it," Reno practically purred, as Tseng placed a hand on the redhead's lower back and pulled him closer.

"Possibly."

"You wanna go do the dirty on Rufus' desk while he's in Junon?"

"…"

"Aww come on!"

"I've got to stop leaving you on your own, don't I?" Tseng murmured against the redhead's ear.

"Rude went to lunch," Reno shrugged, holding Tseng's gaze defiantly.

"Then let's go to lunch."

The redhead whined, but reluctantly headed for the coat rack to grab his coat and sling it over his shoulder.

"Alright ass face," The Turk nodded, "Let's go hit the town and show them who's boss."

Tseng let out a resigning sigh, before gradually following his Turk.

Things had changed in the world, and Tseng couldn't be more content with which direction they'd taken. He looked out across the city and into the distance, eyes focusing near the Northern Continent, before smiling softly to himself.

…_Thank you Sephiroth…_

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**A/N:** I can't tell you how this feels, to have finished this part, and to be leaving some of you behind. I understand that some of you will be happy leaving this right here, and I'll just say I'll miss your company and I'm grateful for every hit, every review, every word of advice, or praise, or constructive criticism you've provided me for this story. I will never ever appreciate you people more than I do right at this very moment. Thank you all so much.

As for the sequel, it's going to take awhile. If you feel like it, keep an eye on what else I post, and hopefully you'll find something else there to keep you busy until the sequel is up.

Much love,

~spopococ


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